Sajila Nudrat | Contributor
Featured image: Valentine’s Day is for everyone. | Basma Elbahnasawy
Valentine’s Day tends to be associated with flowers, love, cards, and chocolates—and lots of it. However, that’s not always the case—and if so, there’s nothing to feel ashamed of. With all the joy and happiness that people feel on February 14, sometimes you can also feel a little down, whether you are in a relationship or not.
A medical student from the University of Saskatchewan says: “Studies show that on average, depression has a prevalence rate of three to five per cent amongst the general population. Depression itself runs a chronic or recurrent course with high risk of morbidity and mortality.
“During the time of holidays or celebrations, the symptoms associated with depression—including the loss of interest in daily activities, restlessness, and trouble concentrating—are often heightened, because of the impact these holidays have on an individual.”
If feelings of sadness start to hit this Valentine’s Day, there are a multitude of ways of alleviating them.
Starting the day with a warm drink; something cozy can provide a sense of comfort, which can help with the challenges of the day ahead.
Valentine’s Day is about showing love, and that includes platonic love—which is just as important as romantic love.
Yalda Sarwar, a fourth-year Journalism student at Seneca, says this year, she’ll be “planning a little surprise party for her elder sister on behalf of her fiancé, who is far away.
“If we can’t receive it, that doesn’t mean we can’t spread that same love to the world—and you never know, karma could be watching!”
Having good company can always help in raising morale, and can be a fun way to spend an evening.
However, while many people try to make the most of Valentine’s Day, not everyone is a fan. “The issue I have with Valentine’s Day is the idea behind it—if you love your partner, you don’t just show them you love them in an exceptional way that one day, but you do it every day,” says a student who wishes to remain anonymous.
“That being said, when I used to be in a relationship, my partner and I would spend it in the library doing our work, because we have our heart set on something bigger than just one day. Basically, I cope with Valentine’s Day by facing the fact that it is a day created by society to elevate sales—a day truly for the celebration of capitalism, not the celebration of love.”
Although February 14 may be a day dedicated to the celebration of love, that love can be the caring you show for others, yourself, or even the world. It’s also a reminder that love should be celebrated every day, and not just one day out of the entire year.
