Valentine’s Day is a holiday that has a different meaning for many people. Some use it as a romantic time with their partner while others consider it a fun excuse to exchange gifts with friends. Others are depressed about the fact that they don’t have anyone to share Valentine’s Day with. However, Valentine’s Day can still be great no matter if you celebrate with someone romantically, platonically, or you’re alone. Students at Rocky showed a variety of their feelings on Valentine’s Day.

When Tessa McClenny, a 9^th grader, was asked this question, she explained, “I don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day. I mean to me, it’s just any other day; I don’t really think of it as a special or romantic holiday, except that my friends give me chocolates.” Tessa is an example of someone who doesn’t really care about Valentine’s Day but is grateful to spend it with her friends.

9^th grader, Aftyn Fastabend, was eager to answer this question and described, “. . . I celebrate Valentine’s Day by getting myself some chocolate and picking out some cutesy flowers that I typically gift to my friends or to my mother. I’ll hang out with friends and family or maybe a love interest if I have one at the time, and that’s who I spend my holiday with. … I enjoy Valentine’s Day, because I believe it is a holiday of spreading kindness and love. You can give a little bit of appreciation to everyone, yourself included (self-love is just as important). It is a special holiday to let yourself appreciate the beauty and attraction in life towards other people, both platonically and romantically . . . It’s a day where you can show people that you care . . .” Aftyn is an incredible symbol of someone who adores Valentine’s Day for its representation and appreciation of all kinds of love.

When I interviewed a 9^th grader, Apoorv Shekar, he responded, “I only really celebrated Valentine’s Day in elementary school when we would hand out candy, but I don’t really do it as often now. Valentine’s Day’s cool, but it would be better if we got a day off from school and work. To me, Valentine’s Day just means loving people.” Apoorv seems neutral on the topic of Valentine’s Day, but still enjoys it even though it’s not his favorite.

In a nutshell, Valentine’s Day has a different meaning for a lot of people. Some celebrate and enjoy it, while some would rather not recognize the holiday. Either way, whether you like it or not, Valentine’s Day can be a fun time to share your love for your partner, your friends, your family, your teachers, and anyone else you care and appreciate with gifts and time together.