Loading ...
Love is in the air this Valentine’s Day as couples across WHHS express their affection toward each other. Amidst the romantic tension in the building, single students find their own ways to celebrate the special day.
While only 36% of the 28 WHHS student respondents to a form are in a relationship, 90% of them celebrate Valentine’s Day in some way or another. While these celebrations don’t involve romantic gestures or red roses, they bring a whole new meaning to Valentine’s Day.
“I spend Valentine’s Day with my friends or somebody that I care about,” Diabou Fall, ‘24, said. “We buy a whole bunch of snacks and sometimes we buy each other gifts.”
Heading into this coming Valentine’s Day, 64% of WHHS students responded to a form saying they lacked a significant other. Many of these students spend the day in the company of their friends. Brennan Riggs, ’29, believes friends are the best medicine when dealing with heartbreak.
“Your friends can help you out with a lot of things,” Riggs said. “Especially when you are going through a tough time.”
With stress coming from school or outside of school, Valentine’s Day can also become an opportunity to relax and take care of oneself.
“If you don’t have anyone to celebrate [Valentine’s Day] with, take it as a day to celebrate and love yourself,” Fall said. “Practice self-love for yourself [and] do what you need to do to make yourself happy.”
However, celebrations in high school are tame compared to those in K-6 schools. Elementary schools across the country stock up on sweetheart candies and paper heart cutouts in preparation for the big day.
“I’m usually in school during Valentine’s Day,” Riggs said. “I was in elementary school last year and we [had] a Valentine’s Day party.”
While the celebration of Valentine’s Day dates back to the 19th century, the way people celebrate has changed over time. Social media apps such as Instagram and Snapchat have allowed young people to interact and engage in new ways. These apps have made it easier for people to meet each other, but some say it may have also created a toxic dating environment.
“[Social media] has misconstrued what [dating] is supposed to be like,” Fall said. “There [are] a lot of standards…[it] has made things a little too segregated.”
While some single students may feel left out during a day that celebrates romantic relationships, there are benefits to being single.
“You have less stress,” Fall said. “If you have anxiety, it makes you feel better about not having to worry about what to get or stress about if someone is going to ask you out.”
