Chocolate, presents, love, and good vibes; all these words put into action and thrown into a holiday make Valentine’s Day. V-day is my personal favorite holiday, but some people dread the day.

What’s not to love about love? Of course most people who dislike the holiday say it’s just a day for people in relationships and they are sour because they are single. Then there are those who aren’t single and don’t like it, and they say they don’t need a day to remind them they love being with their significant other. Well, my argument for that is quite simple; if you don’t need a day to remember to love, then you might as well not have a day to remember you were born, or to give presents on December 25, or to eat a turkey in November.

Love is a part of every single human; it is a feeling that has saved many lives and cured mental illnesses. It is the most exhilarating of all human emotions. There is so much to love about Valentine’s Day; if you’re single, it should be a day for you, so you should treat yourself to a great day and forget about the fact that you don’t have a significant other and celebrate your love for yourself.

Now, if you absolutely can’t get past the fact that you’re single and can’t enjoy the day, put yourself out there and maybe there is someone you are crushing on and you’ve never had the opportunity to make a move. Wouldn’t that be cool if you could say you met your soul mate on the day of love? I think it would be the sweetest story to hear. Some people hate the idea of being girly or sensitive, and V-day is just a train wreck for them, but I think it’s time to stop shoving the affection away and let yourself feel a little.

For those in a relationship who still somehow don’t appreciate the day (I don’t understand how you still don’t like it, but to each his own), start appreciating it. You should feel lucky that you have a loved one who you can celebrate on this day. You may say “That’s what anniversaries are for.” Well, what’s one more day? The least you can do is get them some chocolate or write them a little card just letting them know you are thinking of them on this special day. It never hurts to remind them right?

Unfortunately, people also get dumped on V-day, and if that happens to be you, this day is the perfect day to jump right back up and give yourself a whole lot of love. Buy yourself some candy and write that it’s from your favorite celebrity. Then, go do whatever makes you feel the happiest by yourself, or if you have a friend that’s single, call them up to mingle.

Valentine’s Day isn’t just a day of love; it’s a day to show kindness, compassion, and appreciation for those around you. There is always a way to enjoy this special day. I know it may not be the easiest thing to think positively, especially if you are a pessimist, but Valentine’s Day is a day to be happy, not just a day to love. After following all of these steps I’ve suggested you do to re-think your feelings about V-day and if you still absolutely despise it, just remember, chocolate is on sale the next day.

Every year on Feb. 14, people around the world profess their feelings to their significant others through overpriced gifts, sappy love notes, and flowers that will die within a week. Nothing says “I love you” like dead vegetation and fat-saturated sugary products. Valentine’s Day is a waste of time and there shouldn’t be a specific day of the year that we show affection and love towards each other, but rather we should dedicate every day to loving those who are important to us.

One of the downfalls of this holiday is that people buy gifts they cannot afford and wouldn’t otherwise consider buying. During the Valentine season, many businesses raise their prices because the common consumer is too distracted by nearly forgetting the gift that they don’t notice the price gouging. Buying gifts becomes a nuisance to many, since it’s always put off until the last minute. Rather than finding that perfect, meaningful gift, those in relationships are simply focused on the fulfilling the holiday requirement.

Valentine’s Day is considered the most hectic day of the year for the romance “game.” Most of the responsibility is placed onto the guy in the relationship. Some of the burdens include setting up a romantic date or buying gifts that proclaim love. Despite this, the woman is most commonly expected to receive and not give on this “couples” holiday.  More proposals and promised relationships arise in the days leading up to Valentine’s Day only to satisfy common expectations among couples for this day of love.

Even being in a relationship on this day can cause stress and anxiety for many people. It’s not that we don’t want to buy our partner gifts, it’s that people are constantly asking us, “What did you get your ‘other half’ this year?” A relationship should be private; with the holiday season, it creates a feeling of responsibility to buy your partner gifts and be willingly respond to such questions, so you answer them even if you haven’t bought the gift or aren’t comfortable with the situation.

We all know that being alone on Valentine’s Day can be dreadful, or at least that’s how society says we should feel. In fact, single people around the world have created their own holiday that is completely against the holiday of love. Common names of this holiday include Singles Awareness Day and Anti-Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day is just another reminder to singles that they are alone. Just in case you weren’t already aware of the single-status hanging over your head, here’s a national holiday to remind you!

Although Valentine’s Day can be viewed as cliché, forced, and overly sentimental, there is a bright side: the majority of stores over-stock for the holiday, so many items go on sale after the season. This can provide forward-thinking people with a value for the next year, which could potentially be disastrous if they neglect to consider the expiration of either the chocolates or their relationship.