Is Cupid Your Friend?

By Dorothy J. Hill

Is Cupid Your Friend?

Valentine’s Day is just a week away. I’m pretty sure if you’re like me, you’re tired of hearing anything that has to do with Valentine’s Day. Now, this could either be coming from the perspective of the lonely, bitter one, or the one who has a significant other to share the day with. My perspective lies in the latter. I have a significant other, one whom I have been with for almost seven years. That’s right, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7! It is definitely a long time to be with one person, and most certainly challenging, but when you have love and other ingredients, it’s not hard to do.

Though I am in a relationship, I have never really been a big fan of any holiday, whether it is centered around love or not. Things have just become a bit too commercialized if you ask me. There is no sacredness or unique quality to what happens in the world. What is portrayed on television as an “ideal” relationship is very far from that. But, I digress. I tend to want to go on rants about things that don’t make sense to me, however, let’s just talk about love. :) You don’t necessarily have to be in a relationship or have a significant other to enjoy the Valentine’s Day holiday. You can definitely spend it with friends or family or just consider it as another ordinary day just like I do.

Now, I know I said I’ve never really been a big fan of holidays, and it still remains true. But, since we have the holiday to celebrate, why not do something nice? I figured I would do things a little differently this year for Valentine’s Day. Normally my love and I do not celebrate it, but it just so happens to be the only day we have off at the same time. We’ve been experiencing much of what adults experience where working and time is concerned. We always are sure to make time for one another even with all of our other responsibilities. But, I just thought for Valentine’s Day this year, I’d prepare a nice romantic dinner for the two of us. That way we could catch up on what we’ve been missing and just enjoy each other’s company.

If that doesn’t happen then we may just go out for a nice evening on the town. But that depends on the weather. Even though I am a full-blooded Chicagoan, I still am not a fan of the cold, wintry weather. If you didn’t want to do a romantic dinner like I’m thinking, you can always go the simple route. Just have an evening of fun and games. There’s nothing like a gathering a friends having fun, laughing and joking with one another and playing games. You could do board games, video games, charades… The possibilities are endless. These days you can have a dance contest through the video game. Either way it goes, just make sure that you enjoy the day. Don’t go sulking around because of what other people are doing. You have to make the most of the situation for yourself.

So, I ask, “is Cupid your friend?” Even though we all know that Cupid is a fictional character created to go along with the Valentine holiday, I’ll still indulge. Whether Cupid’s your friend or not doesn’t really matter. If you want to be happy on V-Day, then be happy. Don’t base it upon what is happening in someone else’s life. Being a college kid sometimes makes it difficult for a relationship to work and it also depends on the type of person you are. Maybe this isn’t the right time for you to be in a relationship and you need to just focus on school. There are different variables where that is concerned but don’t let the day get you down.

If you’re looking for some Valentine’s Day festivities, I’m sure there is plenty to do, both on and off campus. There are several fundraisers and activities taking place through various organizations, such as the Student Ambassadors, Student Activities Board, and many other student organizations. There will be parties and card and candy sales. So, if you’re looking for something to get for someone else or even for yourself, you’ll definitely be able to find everything you need.

Enjoy this Valentine’s Day. Don’t get so caught up in the idea that you have to be with someone to enjoy the day, because you really don’t. A lot of people actually have more fun when they’re by themselves. It’s different for everyone. So even if Cupid doesn’t knock on your door, you can still live it up with love.

Dorothy J. Hill is a senior from Chicago, IL. She is pursuing a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance. Dorothy is a Student Ambassador and currently serves as the Training Coordinator at Saint Xavier.