A Hillsdale Valentine’s Day

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Long ago, the Romans imprisoned and executed St. Valentinus for his faith.  While in prison, he cured the jailer’s blind daughter and, just before his execution, sent the girl a note reading: “From Your Valentine.”

“Medieval courtly love picked up on that and popularized sending love notes signed ‘from your Valentine,’ on Feb. 14 — presumably implying the sender’s martyrdom for love,” junior Grace Ramsey said, secretary of Eta Sigma Phi, the classics honorary. “And that’s how we get our tradition today.”

But in a Collegian poll of 512 students, 67 percent said that Feb. 14 is not an important day for them.

“It’s like any other day but more awkward,” Professor of Sociology Peter Blum said.

Yet Eta Sigma Phi, Sigma Alpha Iota, and even Saga, Inc. continue to celebrate Valentine’s Day along with the individual students across campus who do consider it worthwhile.

Eta Sigma Phi’s annual Valentine sale — now in its sixth year — funds the honorary’s Latin Program at Hillsdale Preparatory School.  The valentines, designed by the elementary-aged students, are popular amongst Hillsdale students, Ramsey said.

“Once people get over their initial ‘Do people even speak that anymore?’ reaction to Valentines in Latin, they love what we’ve got. Especially the illustrations — hearts with swords slaying dragons and the like.” Ramsey said. “And what could be more Hillsdalian than a Valentine in a dead language?”

SAI sells singing Valentines to help students spread love to their friends, significant others, and parents, junior and SAI member Emily Wahl said.  The women’s music honorary has been upholding this tradition since the mid-1970s. All proceeds benefit SAI Philanthropies Inc., which supports music charities across the United States.

“We have a list of songs, and the person selects one,” Wahl said. “They then give us the number of the person they are buying it for. And on Valentine’s Day, we call that person and sing them the song. Everybody gets excited to pick out the various songs or send a prank valentine to friends.”

Saga, Inc. embraces the holiday as an opportunity to show the students a little love by providing them with their favorite dishes, General Manager of Saga Kevin Kirwan said.

“The menu changes from year to year,” Kirwan said. “In the past, we had an Italian theme but this year, we are having prime rib and chicken marsala.”

Saga has hosted a special Valentine’s Day dinner for more than 15 years, Saga Production Manager Dale Curtis said.

“It’s a cold and dreary time of the year so we wanted to brighten it up a bit,” Kirwan said.

Students brighten the day themselves by celebrating their relationships — romantic or otherwise — or relishing the independance of being single.

For those who do celebrate the holiday while in a romantic relationship — according to the aforementioned survey, only 42 percent of students have ever done so — it is important to remember that what matters most about Valentine’s Day is spending quality time together, sophomore Antoni Germano said.

The tradition of gift-giving, however, is not to be looked down upon.

“Chocolate and flowers, man,” Germano said, shaking his head at claims that the traditional gifts are overdone and cliché. “Girls really enjoy them! You take that away — that’s harsh!”

Sophomore Bridget Surmont, Germano’s girlfriend, does not put too much pressure on the holiday, though.

“I mean, Valentine’s Day is kind of cool, but it’s not that important,” Surmont said.  “When I was single, I was never like, ‘I hate Valentine’s Day.’ Now it’s the same thing, except I have someone to spend it with.”

Valentine’s Day is ultimately a day for all people to express affection for others, and not exclusively their romantic partners, senior Celia Rothhaas said.

“People who say it’s horrible to be single on Valentine’s Day…they’re bitter and just want life to be over,” she said.

But others react in the opposite manner, and consider Valentine’s Day as a time to celebrate their lack of such an attachment.

“Relationships are a scary thing,” sophomore Wes Wright said, self described as “very single.”

“People get into them, and they disappear.”

Though Wright doesn’t ascribe to calling his objection a celebration of Singles’ Awareness Day, this is a anti-holiday embraced by those with no significant other. Generally celebrated on Feb. 15, those who participate may send themselves flowers, have parties with friends, or wear green, the color considered red’s opposite.

For some, SAD does not necessarily have a negative connotation.

Freshman Sarah Albers remains proud of her independence, despite receiving annual “sympathetic chocolates” from her mother. She said relationships come with strenuous commitments to that significant other and that she prefers to wait until the right man crosses her path.

“A relationship is a willing sacrifice of your autonomy and in order for that to be worthwhile, the person you’re in a relationship with has to be worth your time,” Albers said. “If you’re single, it’s no big deal because you haven’t found the right person yet. In that sense, it’s your independence day.”

Regardless of your relationship status, Valentine’s Day presents the opportunity to show love to those close to you, be that through an established Hillsdale tradition or a creative personal celebration.