NINA BANKS
campus editor
nina.banks@my.tccd.edu

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, TCC students have weighed in their opinions on the day of love.

Initially, Valentine’s Day was created to honor Saint Valentine, the patron saint of love. The holiday has since evolved to celebrate love in its entirety. SE student Brendan Wilkins believed the holiday was a proper way to celebrate love.

“I think it’s a nice way to show appreciation to the person you love,” Wilkins said. “There’s a holiday for literally everything so it only makes sense for there to be one for relationships.”

In recent decades however, some feel that the holiday has commercialized. With corporations such as Hallmark and Hershey capitalizing on the holiday to sell romantic cards and chocolates respectively, many felt the holiday has lost its meaning, including NE student Jason Glover.

“I think it’s a glorified holiday,” Glover said. “Because when you think about it, Valentine’s Day is supposed to be a time where you spend with loved ones, and it’s been glorified to where everyone has to spend tons of money or else you don’t love your significant other.”

According to the National Retail Federation, Americans plan to spend 26 billion this year for Valentine’s Day. $2 billion more than in 2022. 

Despite the statistic, the pressure to spend excessive amounts of money has never fazed Glover — as the only gift he is concerned about is his mother’s birthday which coincidentally falls on Valentine’s Day.

Glover finds compromise on spending on a significant other with mutually budgeting $20 for Valentine’s Day and purchasing pricier gifts on birthdays.

“I feel no pressure whatsoever,” Glover said. “The only thing I do is buy a birthday gift. Whenever I am dating someone, I do buy a Valentine’s Day gift. But, it’s not gonna be an exuberant amount.”

For those not looking to break the bank or who prefer a more sentimental touch, many websites have articles dedicated to DIY gifts — such as date coupons or origami flowers. A student who requested to remain anonymous contended that creating homemade gifts for a significant other has more sentimental value than a purchase.

“It just shows you put the time and effort into that person rather than just buy and say ‘here you go,’” the student said. “I like to know the person put effort into our relationship.”

And if all fails, be creative and don’t resort to the box of chocolates.

“What is over done on Valentine’s Day is the box of chocolates,” the student said. “The roses are overplayed, but I would rather accept that than the chocolates.”

Though not in a relationship, Wilkins has instead decided to designate the day of love for self-care.

“For this upcoming one, I want to take myself out for a ‘me day’ so I’ll probably have a big budget,” Wilkins said.