It is that time of the year again when chocolates in heart-shaped boxes are piled on shelves and Valentine’s Day cards from Walgreen’s are in heavy demand. But the monotony of this old routine is encouraging some students to find a new approach.
This year, some students are opting to stay indoors to spend quality time with their mate.
Armiriam Daniel, 21, said she is planning to do something that her boyfriend enjoys.
“I’m going to watch a basketball game with him, and let him explain what’s going on to me,” said Daniel, a business administration student from Tuscaloosa, Ala.
According to Harold W. Ford, the interim director of FAMU’s counseling center, people do not have to go all out to express their gratitude.
“Many people have forgotten that the little things are just as significant as the big events,” he said.
Ford said giving should go both ways, but he gave suggestions for what men should also do to show affection.
“Men should try carrying books to class, or sending a single flower a day with a piece of candy,” he said.
Some feel one day just is not enough to show appreciation; but for many there are factors that prevent them from celebrating the holiday.
Schoolwork and job obligations are two of the most used excuses from students who do not celebrate Valentine’s Day.
Michael Spence, 21, a political science student from Miami, said he plans on doing the usual on the actual day, but anything more than that would have to take a backseat.
“I will be sending flowers and going out to eat on Valentine’s Day,” Spence said. “But I have two tests and work to worry about.”
Spence admitted he would prefer something of sentimental value.
“That means that she actually thought about it and did not purchase just anything.”
Ford said expressing feelings is another simple way to show affection.
“People should learn how to express how they feel,” Ford said. “If you feel it, then say it.”
So whether going out is on the agenda or staying in is the preference, it is the little things that make the big things worth having.
contact alicia clark at aclarkpr@collegeclub.com