If you're single, you may hate it. If you're in a relationship, you may stress too much over it. And in my case, it just so happens to be the day of my birth. I'm talking about Valentine's Day, of course, and it's already less than a week away.
I'm fortunate because I will always have something to celebrate on Valentine's Day, especially this year since I'll be turning 21. But if you ask different groups of people how they feel about Valentine's Day, you'll probably hear anything from sad, lonely, anxious, excited, indifferent or love-struck responses.
I've always heard that the time period between New Year's Eve and Spring Break is known as "breakup season," but I never really bought into that until recently. Now every time I get on Facebook, I swear every other status is about going from being "in a relationship" to "single." If this wasn't enough to make me a believer in "breakup season," my best friend's unexpected breakup with her long-term boyfriend last week made me reconsider.
So what is it that leads to these breakups? According to a Woman's Day article from last February, a relationship survey in Australia revealed the honest thoughts of about one million single Australians. Many of the survey respondents said that Valentine's Day is a period of reflection and reevaluation of relationships.
The survey revealed that the majority of young, single Australians do not like Valentine's Day, view the holiday as more of a marketing exercise to make money and often end relationships during this period after realizing they are no longer compatible with their partner.
To add to this theory, think about how much pressure couples are under during this time to plan the perfect gift and romantic date. Valentine's Day is often blown up into a bigger deal than it should be, and couples may cave under the pressure. When fights break out over little issues like this, sometimes taking the easy way out looks like the best option.
In order to avoid the Valentine's Day blues, you must remember that keeping it low-key is essential. Holidays like this are meant to be fun and lighthearted, not worrisome. Expensive jewelry, candlelit dinners, chocolates and flowers are nice, but having a healthy relationship is the best gift of all.
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