Why Valentine’s Day Is Not Just a Holiday For Couples

Ever since February rolled around, every social media platform I am on (especially Facebook) has been filled with negativity and complaints about the upcoming holiday- Valentine’s Day. My newsfeed has been flooded with statuses about how much February 14th sucks and how the holiday just serves to remind people of how single they are. 

So first things first, no holiday should be given the power to make you feel “alone forever”! Your identity and worth is not measured by your relationship status. Secondly, I think it is important that we take a step back from all the cheese that can come with this “day of romance” and focus on what the holiday is actually all about- love. And need I remind you, there are forms of love other than the romantic love that comes with a relationship. Love is something you share with your parents, siblings, extended family, and close friends! Valentine's Day is a day for ALL of your relationships, not just any romantic ones.The purpose of Valentine’s Day is to show the important people in your life just how much they mean to you, and that is something that everyone can be a part of. 

In recent years, Valentine’s Day has been swallowed up by all the of the media and commercialization- advertising all the gifts you should buy, places you should go, and money you should spend on this day to make it special- adding pressure to couples to not disappoint and expectations they feel they need to meet. This reality has made it so even many people in a relationship have come to hate the holiday too. But despite what the Jewelry store commercial on TV is telling you, there are a lot of ways you can make this day fun and special without emptying your wallet OR disappointing your significant other. Save cramming a reservation in at a fancy restaurant and make a nice dinner for two at home, for example. To avoid any disappointments, just communicate with your significant other about how much celebrating you’re wanting or expecting. If you’re a couple who likes to go all out and indulge in the cheesier aspects of the holiday- go for it! If you prefer a simple acknowledgement and maybe a card, that’s fine too. Just make sure you’re vocal about it, remember your partner isn’t a mind reader!

And for our singles out there, stop being so pessimistic! Being a complainer on Valentine’s Day is almost as bad as being a flaunter. If you are between relationships or just looking for the right person, your time will come. Valentine’s Day happens every year, so if you aren’t getting roses this year, there is always next year, or the year after that. Not being in a committed relationship of some sort on this one particular day shouldn’t make you feel torturously alone in the world. Contrary to popular belief, Valentine’s Day wasn’t made to hate on the singles! Historically, it has actually been FOR singles, to participate in various traditions to increase their chances of finding love in the near future. So get a bottle of wine, order a pizza, rent some cool movies and call up all your friends. Personally, those are some of the best Valentine’s Days I’ve had. 

By Aidan Metzger

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Why No One, Even Singles, Should Hate Valentine’s Day

Everyone knows that each year Valentine’s Day can have the tendency to bring out the cynic in some of us. Even those who aren’t single may roll their eyes at the holiday, looking at is as yet another commercialized, overemphasized way to raise your expectations and lower your cash. But this year lets try to get passed all the cheese and focus on the core meaning of Valentine’s Day- which is not a day for making you feel bad about yourself but about appreciating the people around you that you love and care about. For you single people, this appreciation isn’t reserved for a romantic partner, but for your friends and family too. I can remember Valentine’s Days that were spent watching chick flicks and drinking (okay chugging) wine with my closest friends, and those might have been some of the best Valentine’s Days I’ve ever had! It’s all about choosing your perspective and mindset.

For singles this holiday:

If you are one of those people who looks at Valentine’s Day as a reminder of how “alone” you are (we’ve all been there at least once) then I have one thing to say to you- stop being so pessimistic! Not being in a committed relationship of some sort on this one particular day shouldn’t make you feel torturously alone in the world. Contrary to popular belief, Valentine’s Day wasn’t made to hate on the singles! Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate all kinds of love, it doesn’t have to be limited to romance. So if you’re single this year, call up your other single friends, plan a dinner date with some movies and a whole lot of wine and carbs and have a good night for yourself. Absolutely no sulking! 

For those in a relationship:

Dislike for this holiday isn’t limited to those who aren’t in a relationship, I’ve heard many couples say that they aren’t fans of the celebrations either. Various reasons include feeling like it puts too much pressure on people, the money spending aspect, and the reluctant but sometimes inevitable raising of expectations or hope that can lead to disappointment. Again, we have all been there before. But this year, try being more open minded. You don’t have to spend tons of money- most people would agree the best presents aren’t the most expensive ones but the ones that a lot of thought was put into. Save cramming a reservation in at a fancy restaurant and make a nice dinner for two at home. And to avoid any disappointments, just communicate with your significant other about how much celebrating you’re wanting or expecting. If you’re a couple who likes to go all out and indulge in the cheesier aspects of the holiday- go for it! If you prefer a simple acknowledgement and maybe a card, that’s fine too! Just make sure you’re vocal about it, remember your partner isn’t a mind reader!

Valentine’s Day is just a fun little holiday, there is no need for it to bring you down! So whether you are single or in a relationship, use this Valentine’s Day to tell the people in your life (parents, siblings, friends, and so on) that you love them and appreciate them. And then tell them every single day after that too! 

Daks Club offers 'Couples Management' Advice: Generational or Modern?

A marriage match agency, known as Daks Club, has consulted 70 relationship consultants, or "couples managers" as they refer to the consultants, on which are the top three types of men women should avoid dating, especially on a blind date. 

After conducting the survey, the number one worst man to date, identified by 32% of the relationship consultants, was a man who does not introduce the woman to his family or friends. The consultants concluded this claiming that if a man does not introduce her to the people closest to him, it may mean he is having second thoughts. According to the consultants, it does not matter how well the man treats her, she should reconsider him if he has yet to let her meet his family and friends. 

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The second type of man a woman should try to avoid, which 24.5% of the relationship consultants agreed with, are men who tell their parents everything. Relationship consultants say to be wary of this type of man because parents' influence over everything can cause a great deal of stress to the relationship, especially the post-marital relationship. Light exchanging of opinions with the parents is acceptable, but discussing every critical detail with them is something that the girlfriend should pay close attention to, and possibly reconsider the relationship. 

The third, and equally as important, type of man to avoid is a man who tries to become intimate too fast. In a mature relationship, physical intimacy is critical, but it is important that it does not happen too quickly. If the man becomes aggressive or angry when told no, or tries to force himself on her, those are signals that the relationship needs to be reconsidered and he is not the right kind of man to date. 

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These are all important things for a woman to look for when seeking a partner. It is crucial to not overlook these qualities, because they can add a great deal of stress to the relationship. Women may have to reconsider several times before finding the right person to fit her lifestyle and expectations. The relationship consultants also emphasize the fact that these warnings and signals can also apply for a man meeting a woman, and that he should be wary of these personality traits as well when looking for his partner.