Social Media Editor Tal Bloom and Deputy Editor Sophie Conrad go head to head over romance.

Pro-Valentine’s Day: Sophie

I love Valentine’s Day. The outfit for the day? Red top, pink eyeshadow, and a heart necklace, and god is it cute. This is undeniably the best holiday for hopeless romantics like myself. The flowers everywhere, the cheap candy in stores, the way everyone wears red and pink, it’s such a happy time! Of course, Barnard students go all out, and as someone who loves seeing hearts on clothes, it is such a joy to see how stylish everyone is. Then there are the men walking around with flowers, panicking because they’re overpriced on Valentine’s Day, but they don’t know this because they only get their girlfriends flowers once a year (I already saw one today). Of course, how could I forget the Instagram “will you be my Valentine” posts? I knew someone who was genuinely asked out one time with a Mario Valentine’s Day post. But that’s beside the point.

As a consumer of all things Valentine’s Day related, below is my complete and personal list of Valentine’s Day things that make me happy:

• Heart necklaces from Etsy
• Heart bags
• Sweaters with hearts
• Valentine’s Day flash tattoo sales from tattoo shops that are normally incredibly expensive
• Amazon’s little Valentine’s Day edit (makes me laugh, all they have are red quesadilla makers)
• Snooping on Instagram and seeing everyone’s partners
• Buying flowers for my girlfriend (they are from Westside Market)

Anti-Valentine’s Day: Talia

To preface: I don’t even say this with as much hate as is usually in my heart. I have moved past my seventh grade “wear black on Valentine’s Day” phase. I’m wearing my pink eyeliner and cute little pink earrings. Aesthetically, the holiday is… fine. The pink and hearts are cute, I won’t even lie.

It’s honestly just the principle of it.

Valentine’s Day is silly, dumb, and overrated. It causes too much pain and sadness. I know too many people who feel personally called out by the ever-present songs, decorations, cards, advertisements, deals, outfits, public displays, etc. As my mother always says, why should there be a day to remember that love and relationships should be valued? Can’t that be an everyday thing? 

This holiday simply feels like a personal attack. A sneaky gimmick for companies and a cappella groups to make money. (Who would do that?) This holiday just takes advantage of couples and makes single people sad. Plus, the Instagram Stories are so very annoying. We already saw your “two months!” and “six months with my best friend!!!” and “seven point three and a half years with the other half of my heart” posts.

Alas, I digress.

At least the color palette is cute.

HEARTS <<333 via Public Domain Pictures