LINDA PUGA
campus editor
Without being able to gather at her local diner due to COVID-19, TR student Alani Carranza plans to spend her Valentine’s Day with her gals on Zoom for a brunch party.
I think it’s important to celebrate with the people you love, Carranza said.
Growing up, Carranza remembers the excitement of the holiday that consisted of decorating mini mailboxes made of cardboard to exchanging candies and cards with fellow classmates.
Carranza thinks the holiday is sweet rather than cliché because of the expression of love that is shown between others.
“Throughout the year, people are continuously on the go and they don’t stop and show appreciation towards their significant other,” Carranza said. “This is the one day in the year where they can truly focus on what is important, love.”
Like Carranza, South student Alfredo Ornelas finds the holiday to be a fun day as well, but in more ways than one.
“I have never gone a single year without celebrating,” Ornelas said. “Not because I always have a date, but because I was born on Valentine’s Day.”
To celebrate, Ornelas plans to spend the day with his family, whether it’s at home or going out to dinner.
He doesn’t have a significant other and doesn’t see it happening soon, so Ornelas feels as though he isn’t as connected to the holiday compared to other people.
“It’s not because I don’t want it to happen,” Ornelas said. “I just have so many goals for myself and my family that I don’t see myself having the time for it.”
He happily spends the holiday with friends and family while celebrating another year of life.
TR student Katie Moore also prefers to celebrate with friends and although she recently went through a breakup, she looks forward to dressing up and going out to eat with her family.
Moore recalls a special tradition that she’ll always remember from her elementary school days of celebrating the holiday.
“My dad would send a Valentine’s gift every year,” Moore said. “It was always so fun being able to leave class and go and pick up whatever gift he had sent me.”
Moore enjoys Valentine’s Day because it’s a day dedicated to loving the people around her and she looks forward to sharing that love with her friends.
“My significant other in college is most likely not going to last, but the friends I have made at TCC are some friends I know I will have in my life for a really long time,” Moore said.
