Valentine’s Day traditions start from childhood when grade school classrooms have parties to celebrate the holiday. Children and parents go out to buy the cute cards that say cheesy things like “I’m stuck on you, Valentine” and “Be Mine.”

The project assigned for that week is to make a bin where all the cards can be collected, so old shoe boxes get remodeled with construction paper, markers and glitter with a slit made at the top for the opening. It is a great thing for a child who gets to come home with a lot of candy to devour at the end of it.

But down the road, as Valentine’s Day rolls around, it seems more people are discouraged about it than excited. The people who do not have significant others feel like the day is meant to emphasize their loneliness. For the ones that do have their special someone, the pressure is on to buy the greatest gift but still keep it somewhat low-key so it is not as hard to top for the next year.

And if there ever were a commercialized holiday, this would be it. It is not Valentine’s Day without the heart shaped chocolate boxes, cards, big teddy bears with the heart-shaped pillows and huge bouquets of roses—all which require purchase.

But this is the time to take advantage of it all. There is so much more to the day than just romance. It is the time when we can enjoy all the specialty items that come once a year like the Starburst jellybeans, conversation hearts, and basically any kind of chocolate there is. If you get a chocolate rose from someone, great! If you don’t, buy one for yourself and enjoy it. They’re only here for a limited time.

Valentine’s Day does not have to be a bitter holiday if it is not made into one and you definitely do not need a special someone to enjoy it. Instead, it can be used to appreciate others. There probably is not enough time in the rest of the year to let others know how much you care, but this can be the time.

And for those that do have significant others, this obviously should not be the only time when you show how much you love them. It is nice though to make them feel special on a day when they want to be appreciated.

Don’t hate the holiday. Make the most of it and enjoy everything that comes with it. In a time when the world seems so cruel and harsh, why not take advantage of the day that lets us all spread the love?

Shirmeen Ahmad is a junior political science and journalism major. She can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].