Ah, Valentine’s Day. A day celebrated around the world and meant to be centered around the notion of love. A day colored red and pink all over. A day filled with hearts, cupids, chocolate, gifts and flowers. Some people choose to spend it with their significant other and ooze romance. However, others have a certain opposition to Feb. 14. Whether it’s due to being single or hating the materialism that Valentine’s Day promotes, some decide to stay away from the lovey-dovey holiday as much as possible. The world is divided. Nonetheless, Valentine’s Day is this Friday. Hear what your fellow classmates have to say about it.

LOVE it:

Emily Ethridge (12), Addy Roberts (12), Andy Gutierrez (12)

Why do you like Valentine’s Day?

Emily: “It’s a day of love. Not necessarily just for romantic love but a time to appreciate friendships and family. It’s like a mini Christmas.”

Addy: “I love Valentine’s Day regardless of the fact that I’ve never had a significant other because pink is and has always been my favorite color. Along with reds and purples. Heart shapes are my favorite shapes. I find them to be so cute and endearing and I especially love cherub angels. I even have both a cherub tattoo and a heart tattoo. I feel it is a very very sweet holiday and I love giving gifts.”

Andy: “I get to spend some much needed time with my girlfriend. Even the times I don’t, the holiday has such a warm feeling celebrating love.”

What does Valentine’s Day mean to you?

Emily: “It means I can be obnoxiously love-driven and I can share it with everyone.”

Addy: “Valentine’s Day is a reminder to let your loved ones know you care about them. While I think you should do so all year long, I do think it is very sweet and cute to have a day specifically devoted to this.”

Andy: “Simply a day that celebrates love and any kind of it.”

What are you doing on Valentine’s Day?

Emily: “I’m ordering Italian food and staying in with my boyfriend to celebrate our one year anniversary.”

Addy: “I will be having a picnic in the park with one of my best friends.”

Andy: “Definitely a dinner date.”

Who are you celebrating Valentine’s Day with?

Emily: “My boyfriend.”

Addy: “I will be celebrating Valentine’s Day with Kayleigh Morrison (11), one of my dearest friends.”

Andy: “My girlfriend I think or maybe [I’ll be] in chemistry getting some work done but I’ll celebrate on someday with her.”

If you are giving gifts to a significant other or friend(s), what is your gift going to be?

Emily: “I painted a portrait of my boyfriend, it’s been months and I’m finally gonna give it to him. I also wanted to burn a cd with all the songs that remind me of him. And perhaps make a clock with his favorite band’s album cover.”

Addy: “For Valentine’s day I have handmade lots of personalized Valentine’s Day cards for my friends and family. I also have purchased special good luck charms as well as other special Valentine related gifts I found at thrift stores for my closest friends.”

Andy: “Definitely the classic flowers and chocolate, but maybe something to put a little twist on it so I’m not boring.”

LEAVE it:

Veli Rumenov (12), Bella Townsend (12), Marlene Beasley (12)

Why do you not like Valentine’s Day?

Veli: “It’s an obsolete holiday to show appreciation for your significant other, in a materialistic way. I believe love and appreciation should come from within and should not be portrayed by an object you buy as a present.”

Bella: “I’m not the biggest fan of Valentine’s Day because I don’t really understand it, but I also feel like it just puts pressure on people. So many people get excited about it and anticipate gifts from their significant others, loved ones, friends, etc., but what about the other people? It leaves a lot of people out who don’t have close friends or family that aren’t in relationships, and there are also those who do have it that just struggle with feeling lonely. It can be a hard time for people who don’t get that experience or have never had that experience. I also feel as though some people put a lot of their energy into their relationships almost every day, and they may feel expected to go above and beyond for a day that has no real meaning or value, and that can put pressure on them. So many people romanticize and expect so much, when it should just be about the love that we have for one another, and love should be given to everyone every day. I also hate corporate America and capitalism and I feel like companies capitalize off of the emotions of people during this time.”

Marlene: “It’s a capitalist holiday, it was made by companies to gain money.”

What does Valentine’s Day mean to you?

Veli: “Showing your love via materialistic means such as gifts.”

Bella: “Valentine’s Day means people having to figure out how they’re going to treat their significant other, people feelings left out, young people feeling the need to go all out for a relationship that isn’t going to last another year, and a lot of unnecessary balloons in Walmart that aren’t going to get purchased.”

Marlene: “Any other day, every day should be valentine’s day while in a relationship.”

What are you doing on Valentine’s Day?

Veli: “Probably to the movie theatre or [to] get food”

Bella: “Aside from being anti-Valentine’s Day, I’m also antisocial so, nothing.”

Marlene: “I was invited to see the new To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before movie.”

Who are you celebrating Anti Valentine’s Day with?

Veli: “A friend.”

Bella: “Me, myself and I.”

Marlene: My friends: Miranda Lim (12), Ankita Ravi (12), Elizabeth Roca (12) and Abigail Ibarra (12).

If you are giving gifts to a significant other or friend(s), what is your gift going to be?

Veli: “Most likely will be flowers.”

Bella: “Even though I’m Anti-Valentine’s Day, I got a card and some Burt’s Bees lip crayons for a good friend of mine at LHS, and for people that don’t have valentines I’ll be handing out valentines so no one feels left out.”

Marlene: “I am not giving any gifts.”