Tennille Mack, Staff Writer 

What is the purpose of Valentine’s day you may ask? Valentine’s Day, Saint Valentine’s Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine. This holiday has origins in the ancient Roman festival Lupercalia that was conducted annually under a corporation of priests called Luperci. At the end of the 5th century Pope Gelasius I, replaced Lupercalia with St. Valentine’s held in mid-February which celebrated the coming of spring, fertility rites and the pairing of women and men by lottery.

Fast forward to 2020 Valentine’s day is a cash cow for a venture capitalist who profits off of the people who hope to show their love through Hershey kisses or the biggest Chanel bag in the store if you want it, in the words of Lil Baby. The memories of receiving valentine’s goodie bags and cards from your elementary school teachers were always something to look forward to. And then boom all of a sudden you are a young adult in college.

From childhood, my valentine’s has consisted of receiving gifts from my parents and friends but never from someone who I considered to be potential bae or whatever you feel comfortable calling it. While some may view this as yet another holiday without a lover, I view it as an opportunity to treat myself and individuals within my support system who have been consistent and vital to my development. The single life often has negative connotations such as being lonely, selfish or not committed. In fact, not being involved with anyone allows the clarity of figuring out who you are, while also learning about what you are seeking in a potential partner.

Being single on Valentine’s is my normal and it is honestly hard to see it any other way right now. It is been great to spend it both with my parents and friends. Especially with the millennial emergence of the ‘Galentines’ celebration amongst your fav gal pals indulging in great food and treats accompanied by a girl power playlist. When it comes to these holidays that are promoted on the basis of spending uber amounts of money, remember that most of these material items can only provide instant temporary gratification.

If you are celebrating valentine’s, think of creative ways to show gratitude and appreciation for your loved ones by making a cute card, photo album or even my fave, personalized jewelry and athleisure. What gets lost in the midst of participating in valentines is, trying to impress a potential lover with frivolous items that will soon be forgotten by the next birthday, Thanksgiving or Christmas. Most importantly, if you are single during Valentine’s day, it is absolutely normal and you are not obligated to buy anything you don’t want to under the pressures of looking cool for everyone but yourself.