Aaaaahhh Valentines Day. The day that sorta creeps up on you but is impossible to ignore because CVS is decked out in pick. Truth be told, I’m not the biggest fan of Valentines day. It kinda seems like a made up, contrived holiday (sort of like New Years. I know my mom agrees). It’s not like I go around hating couples all day, despising them because they’re celebrating the greatest gift of life. (In love couples,  you do you. Be in love because it’s incredible.) I’ve been single during valentines day, I’ve been in a relationship, I still feel the same way. Valentines day doesn’t leave most people happy. And I don’t think it shouldn’t be that way.

One of my most favorite people in the world once called Valentines Day, “the day of love and friendship.” Obviously I liked that so much because it’s the name of this post! See, I love the underlying theme of Valentines Day. To celebrate love, in all its unique forms, is awesome to me. But, blame it on the media or consumerism, this day has become a day of pressure to prove your love for someone or it serves as a harsh reminder that you don’t have anyone to love. That’s the part I don’t like. It should be a time to express your love, no matter whom or what it’s for, and be reminded of the love that surrounds you. And it shouldn’t just end today. I think it would be so nice to get flowers on a random Tuesday or receive a card on a rainy one, just because. But since we’re stuck with one designated day, Feb. 14th, I tried to make the most of all the love today.

When I woke up this morning and saw the two feet of snow, I remembered how much I love summer. During my PR class, I realized how much I love my major. Rushing around, running to meeting to meeting, I recalled how much I appreciate being busy. Collecting applications, hanging out with Orientation Steering, seeing friends and new students getting excited to become a part of one of my most favorite things about Villanova, I was thankful to have such positivity in my life through a program that I absolutely adore. I clearly love fro-yo and hanging out with my future roomies, and finishing off a night with wine and Frozen was an absolute plus. And of course, changing into sweatpants and a sweatshirt after a long day is probably one of the things I love the most (I know my sister would agree).

I was also lucky enough today to receive a care-package from my mamma and a gift from a certain special someone, which did make me feel extremely loved. What made those extra things meaningful is that they are simply reminders that those two people care about me, not a sign to prove their love. They make me feel loved every day, and for that I’m extremely thankful for.

Yea, maybe you didn’t get a teddy bear or a box of chocolates today. But that’s okay. What really matters is that someone loves you, and you love someone or something. Maybe we should celebrate that instead. It’s the day of love and friendship. And that isn’t defined by a facebook relationship status.

Here’s to love & friendship.