Feb. 14, the one day of the year when the word “love” quite literally hangs in the air, is approaching fast. Couples across campus are preparing for the occasion, making plans for how they intend to celebrate the day of St. Valentine.
Visions of the glorious evening are filled to the brim with a sunset hike, a candlelight dinner, a perfect moment to pop “the question” and, perhaps most importantly, a chance to take the perfect Instagram photo. At least, that is how this average hopeless romantic envisions a Hallmark Channel perfect Valentine’s excursion.
Needless to say, life tends to pitch curveballs on our perfect little plans: the forecast currently has light snow in the works for Salem on the day in question, dinner reservations prove difficult to pin down, proposing requires an entirely separate game plan and, to be honest, Instagram should probably stay in your pocket while on a date. Oh, and there is also one other slightly awkward problem: my mom was born on Feb. 14.
“That’s not that big of a deal,” they say.
Yes, but–“You’ll know she’s the one if she’s okay with it,” they interrupt.
Perhaps what they say, whoever they are, is true. However, a brief dance down memory lane tells a different story.
The characters: average high school Guy and Girl who began dating less than two months prior.
The scene: Guy’s first car, average for a high school student. (Okay, not too average…I was probably the only boy in school driving a Bug.)
The conflict: it is Valentine’s Day and Guy decides to spend time with his mom (it’s her birthday, remember).
Girl is completely unimpressed with this decision. As the ensuing dialogue was anything but riveting, I will spare the details. Essentially, what could have been a perfect Hallmark Valentine’s Day was ruined.
How was this hopeless romantic to respond? Well, as is expected, he apologized and did his best to cram the puzzle pieces back together. Ten months later, Guy and Girl were at separate schools and had decided to part ways. Valentine’s Day from then on was haunted with the wisps of what happened and what could have been. Cue dramatic sad music.
Okay, enough tales of the past.
Why is it that so much stock is held in planning and going on the perfect date for Valentine’s Day? This reformed hopeless romantic finds it utterly strange. After all, Feb. 14 is but another day in the Gregorian calendar, which just happens to be the day on which St. Valentine was martyred for officiating illegal marriages of Roman soldiers. Instead of putting together a Hallmark Channel date, I’ll provide a few ideas that are just as romantic as that candlelight dinner:
- Step one: go to Panda Express and enjoy the rich nourishment of orange chicken and chow mein.
- Step two: go back to your dorm or apartment. (For brownie points, stop at Dutch Bros. on the way)
- Step three: watch a favorite Netflix show or a classic Disney movie. Or, my personal favorite, turn on the Hallmark Channel and watch the cheesiest love stories this world has to offer.
Trust me, this is just as romantic, if not more so, than attempting to take an Instagram photo of your snowy trek to Silver Falls where you propose over a candlelight picnic. You are so welcome.
With love,
The Resident Hopeless Romantic of Corban University