Valentine's Day
The History Behind the Holiday
Every February, millions of people celebrate Valentine’s Day. Thoughtful gestures such as flowers, chocolates, cards and other goodies are sent to those of whom we love and care about. Apart from all this, set your mind away for a second; do any of us really know the meaning of this so-called “St. Valentine’s Day”? Or perhaps, where or how it even began?
Legend has it that Valentine was a priest during third century Rome. According to this tale, Valentine went against a law forbidding young men to marry (supposedly unmarried young men made for a better military). Despite the legal implications, Valentine continued to marry young couples in secret, and once discovered, was put to death.
Others say that as an imprisoned man, he fell madly in love with the jailer’s daughter. Before being put to death he composed a love letter, signing it “Your Valentine”, those two oh-so famous words now used today.
And what about that Cupid guy? This familiar gentleman (also known as “cupido” or “desire”) is the son of Venus, the goddess of love. He is said to fly around day and night, present yet unseen; but watch out! This mischievous little boy may wound you and your significant other with his bow and arrow, a kind of “love bite” if you will. A bite that makes you destined to fall head over heels in love.
In the end, February has been the month of love for a long time now, dating back to the Middle Ages. It even ranks second in the number of cards sent, after Christmas of course.
Fun Valentine’s Ideas For College Students (Single or Not)
- Go Out To Eat- Whether you’ve got a date planned or are flying solo, go ahead and take advantage of a nice Valentine’s dinner. This can be just as fun with a group of singles, or with that special someone.
- Head To The Club- Ladies, once again, take advantage of the night and grab a few friends or your significant other, then head on out to the club. I’m sure someone will have that Valentine’s special where ladies get in free. How thoughtful is that?
- Go Catch A Movie- Singles, go out for a girl’s night to catch up on the latest chick flick, or have a movie night with the girls back at the house. The Notebook is always an excellent choice. As for you couples, go find a show at the cinema or snuggle up and watch a romantic movie back home.
- Go Out And Just Have Fun- If you’re not really in to any of the above, make the night your own and have some fun. Go out bowling, play lunar golf, or sing karaoke. Be crazy and go have a blast with whatever you may decide to do.
- Throw A Valentine’s Party- Invite some friends over, grab the food, drinks, music, games or movies and just have some fun back at home. A party is always a good substitute on a night like this. Just remember to keep the noise down in your dorm or apartment. Truth is, you AREN’T the only ones who live there!
And for those guys in long-distance relationships, this section is for you!
- Send Flowers- This may seem so terribly original, but every girl love getting flowers. If you want to maybe make it a little more personal and less “typical Valentine’s flower”, get them in her favorite color instead. However, a mixture of Valentine’s colors, such as red, white, and pink, is always a nice choice too.
- Call Her- Guys, texting is ok, but nothing is more sentimental than a legit phone conversation. Who wants to try to comprehend your feelings through a stupid text message? No one! Let her know how you really feel and put those thoughts through the telephone line.
- Send Her A Special Email Or Letter- First off, let’s make it clear that an “email or letter” does not come in the form of a text message. Take the time to sit and plan it out. Email is a good second choice, but send her something a little out of the ordinary. A hand written letter is always a great idea. She’ll know that you took the extra time to sit down and write it and it’s something she can carry around with her or keep in a special place. Trust time, the effort and me ranks you a lot higher on the point scale.
- Plan A Surprise Visit- Long distance can be hard, especially on a day like Valentine’s. So guys, take the weekend off and go surprise her! This is like the ultimate Valentine’s gift. You could plan this for next weekend or a month from now. The time doesn’t necessarily matter, just the fact that you have a special surprise weekend planned for you and her. Trust me, she will LOVE it.
