Valentine’s Day is a beloved holiday celebrated by many people worldwide on February 14 who use the day to celebrate and appreciate their friends, family, and romantic love. Some people love the holiday, yet others are more cynical about it. How do you feel about Valentines? Love it? Hate it? Generally ignore it? How will you celebrate it this year? South Hills students were asked to reflect on these questions.

Richie Ramos is a junior at South Hills and is very busy with school and work yet he still plans to have a nice dinner with his girlfriend.

“We’re gonna celebrate it on the 12th,” Ramos said. “Because me and my girlfriend’s anniversary is on the 12th, so we’re gonna mix them.”

A nice dinner and gifts are usually what people with a partner do on this holiday, but what does everyone without a Valentine do? Junior Matthew Hernandez shares what he usually does during Valentine’s Day.

“I have a partner so I’m celebrating Valentine’s but if I don’t I just go through February like any other month,” Hernandez said. “I understand that it’s a nice day for other people but I don’t really care much about it.”

Similarly, Sophomore Lucas Nevarez shared his opinions on Valentine’s Day with a different and critical approach.

“Valentine’s Day growing up was a day of fun because it was mostly about platonic love,” Nevarez said. “The more romantic feelings you start feeling for people, the more the meaning itself changes and it turns from a time of fun to a time of pressure.”

Valentine’s Day is supposed to be a nice day full of love however, it can bring stress to everyone. People in relationships rush to make their partner feel special along with single people feeling the pressure of whether you’re getting a valentine or not. Nevarez feels like Valentine’s Day isn’t as great as everyone makes it out to be.

“It’s such a raw and deep holiday, I feel like it brings out the best and the worst in people,” Nevarez said. “The thing about relationships is that they take time and commitment and love but things like Valentine’s Day, the way the media portrays it, just pushes immediate romance and satisfaction.”

Everyone has different opinions and whether they love or hate Valentine’s Day, however we don’t need a holiday to remind us that we’re all loved.