Feb. 14 Evolution: What Valentine’s Day means to East

Alligators, unicorns, basketball hoops and rainbows galore — everyone knows the rush of walking into your second-grade classroom, taking in the sweet smell of cherry Fun Dip, totally pumped to give out the candy hearts you spent hours labeling the night before to all of your classmates. 

Fast forward eight years and we’re in high school stressing over whether a gift for our kind-of-sort-of significant other of two weeks is a bit over the top. With all the nail-biting that comes with Valentine’s Day as a teenager, we just wish we could go back to the red-heart-shaped-lollipop days. Here are some East students that experienced the change from hand-written notes with candy hearts to homework assignments.

To sophomore Charlotte Hawes, Valentine’s Day is a day of spreading love to friends, not significant others. Ever since elementary school, Hawes has brought valentines-candies for all of her friends. “It’s fun to see the look on people’s faces when I’m like, ‘Here’s a candy for Valentine’s Day,’” Hawes said. “It just feels good to spread love on Valentine’s Day and it doesn’t have to be romantic.”

Senior Simon Zimmerman uses the holiday to show appreciation for all the people in his life that he loves. “For me and my family, Valentine’s Day is pretty huge [because] we don’t usually get to see each other a lot and we all have pretty crazy and hectic lives,” Zimmerman said. “So this is a day to just hang out with each other, walk in the park, play board games or whatever we want.”

Valentine’s Day is a day junior Josie Lenger has come to dread. Going from a candy-for-all policy in grade school to being left empty-handed on Feb. 14 stings a little extra for Lenger, turning a day meant for love into 24 hours of bleh.  “I’ve never had an actual relationship and I feel like I’m surrounded by people in love,” Lenger said. “I don’t like that feeling when I’m alone.” 

According to sophomore Nick Stamati, Valentine’s Day holds a love-hate-relationship in many people’s hearts. When in a relationship with someone, Valentine’s Day is a day to look forward to — giving gifts, spending time with each other and just soaking in cupid’s arrow. But it’s a completely different story for those left alone on the holiday. “It’s kind of like a wakeup call for people who don’t have a boyfriend or girlfriend,” Stamati said. “That’s why I don’t like it.”

The holiday has never failed to make senior Elise Griffith smile. From the grade school days to the romantic dinners, she’s a supporter of all the cheesy heart-shaped chocolates and flower bouquets. Having been in a six-and-a-half-year relationship, she’s had her fair share of the typical, romantic Valentine’s Day. “I think it’s a fun little day to have an excuse to go on a fun date,” Griffith said. “We usually go out to dinner, last year was my favorite.”