Well, another Valentine’s Day alone, for most of us anyway. It seems that out of all the holidays of the year, Valentine’s Day is one of the most controversial, in which we show our appreciation and undying love for friends, family, and significant others, yet also mourn our one-sided crushes and break-ups.
This year, prepare yourself to see couples holding hands, partners giving each other bouquets of roses, or students putting chocolate hearts on their crushes’ desks. The writers writing this will be crying in jealousy and indignation, so we’re right here with you.
Jokes aside, The Roosevelt News went on a mission to track down the school’s single struggles, break-ups, and student desires through a comprehensive survey, receiving responses from 30 students.
When asked about their relationship status, 77% of students identified as single, 10% were in a relationship, and 13% described their status as ‘complicated.’
According to Newsweek, only 38% of American adults living in the U.S. are single; we can all agree that the proportion of singles at Roosevelt is pretty sad. Granted, these numbers are not the most accurate representation of our student body’s relationship status. But have no fear, we writers are very single too.
When asked about the pros and cons of singlehood, survey respondents replied with vastly differing responses. Some argue in favor of being single on Valentine’s Day, with one student saying, “You can do whatever you want on that day; that rare, rare self love.”
Another states that “you don’t have to pretend you like a bad gift,” while a different student says, “I’ve never been in a relationship but I’ve been kinda talking to this guy and its already exhausting, when you’re single you don’t have to worry about ‘impressing’ someone else.”
And our personal favorite: “Pros: I can be a whore. Cons: No one to be my valentine.”
Even though it can be heartwarming to see all those mini gifts and the various affectionate actions between couples on the 14th, you know what it costs: time and money, something that many student readers lack. And even when those two factors are not an issue, many struggle with the expectation of buying gifts that truly show how much they care.
Some survey respondents affirmed this struggle, with one student saying, “I love my boyfriend very much, [but] I just don’t have money to get him an amazing gift. He does so much for me and I feel like I’m being ungrateful if I don’t give him literally the entire world.”
Another agrees, saying, “[Valentine’s Day is] so stupid but it’s also so fun. I miss in elementary school when you would make little candy drop boxes and everyone had to give kids valentines. Now as I’m older it just seems like a waste of money to show your affection. I mean it’s kinda cute but it also sucks when you’re single and you just want a normal day.”
Yet on another note, with Valentine’s Day approaching, The Roosevelt News felt that it would be appropriate to ask the students surveyed what their personal ideals for partners are. Some responded by simply saying, “Kindness, sense of humor” and “trust and communication,” while another wrote “Money. Obviously.”
Some students went in depth, with one saying, “first impressions are important because that’s how I build my first mental picture of them—usually from physical attractiveness, sometimes from personality if I see them interacting with others; later on in a relationship (not necessarily romantic), personality definitely plays a bigger part, and I would say the one most important quality I look for is respect—whether they respect me and others … Also, it would be nice to have common interests, to have more conversation topics, especially in the beginning, so it’s easier to relate to each other and support each other, but it’s not necessary.”
Respondents also shared some hopeful strategies for readers to use in order to enjoy Valentine’s Day as single people. “Spend it with people you love,” one says, “it shouldn’t just be a holiday for couples (sometimes don’t get why it’s a holiday in general) it’s just a waste of a day for companies to make lots of money and to have single people feel upset and bad about themselves.”
A third simply states, “be happy. Don’t feel the need to be with someone for the sake of being with someone. Be content single. You’re doing great.”
In light of the struggles some may face on this holiday, these responses serve as great reminders that you don’t need to feel embarrassed when going shopping by yourself or taking yourself out on a solo Valentine’s Day date. Instead of comparing how many valentines you receive, think of being single as saving money and loving yourself—and in the end, your status will likely change. Whether you’re old or young, you will always find somebody…eventually.
