Reporter

CSUB students share their bad Valentine’s Day breakups to show that each of us are not alone in the season of love. Valentine’s Day “in our society is considered the most romantic day of the year, a day to celebrate love and lovers,” according to Shirley Ogletree of How Do I Love Thee? Let Me Count The Valentines.

According to the Journal of Consumer Behaviour, Valentine’s Day “is traditionally a gift-giving occasion which over the years has become a worldwide phenomenon.” Valentine’s Day has many different meanings to a variety of people based on their experience in relationships. Students of CSUB shared their breakup experience to show us that we all have similar breakups or bad experiences from Valentine’s Day that we may not openly share with others.

Communications major Scot Swan, 20, said that Valentine’s Day to him is “when you are with somebody you can express appreciation for the relationship.” Swan is currently not in a relationship, but he shared that three years ago he was both dumped and left for his best friend on Valentine’s Day.

Men are not the only ones to feel the wrath of love on Valentine’s Day, as women have also experienced their share of heartbreak during the love season. Mariah Key, 23, also shares an experience she had when she was in high school. Key’s boyfriend dumped her through an “I Hate You” card, which was accompanied with various balloons, chocolates and roses on Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day is a “consumerism holiday,” and is “more like an obligation,” said Key. At the moment she is currently in a relationship, despite her bad Valentines Day many years ago.

Even though there are various similarities in the potential breakups of dating, there can also be a happy ending for some. Computer Science major Victoria Losey, 22, shares that her and her current boyfriend broke up on Valentine’s Day and then were able to get back together on the following Valentine’s. The reason for Losey’s breakup is that the couple lost touch in their relationship from a difference in locations, he was in LA and she was ready to go abroad. There are certain ways that people choose to celebrate their day of love. Losey’s interpretation of Valentine’s Day is “an excuse to get really drunk.”

Whatever the interpretation of Valentine’s Day may be, students are not alone when it comes to breakups, bad experiences, or the feeling of lost love. Each of us may be scared, shy, or want to forget those experiences so that we are able to move on with our current or future relationships.