Valentine’s Day — the one day a year PDA is somewhat acceptable, heart-shaped boxes symbolize true love and no one wants to be alone. Or do they?

Many college students, especially underclassmen, are single. Whether they’re in an open relationship or have no strings attached at all (or they deny that they are in an actual relationship, but that’s a whole other story), it’s safe to say that most students think that more freedom is equivalent to more fun.

But on occasions such as these, it can be a downer. Watching people going to classes hand in hand, seeing couples sitting in a secluded area of the dining hall and having your friends ditch dinner plans to be with their boyfriends or girlfriends are only some of the things that we let slide just because it’s Valentine’s Day.

For people who do have valentines, it’s just like any other day, with the obvious addition of teddy bears and flowers. Whether it’s your boyfriend, girlfriend or best friends, the comfort of being in a restaurant or on a couch surrounded by the ones you love obviously makes you feel good.

For those of us who do not have valentines, it’s only one day out of the year. We’ll wake up and go about our lives, with the occasional maneuver around a couple that had to prove their love by shoving their tongues down each other’s throats.

No matter where you stand on the V-Day spectrum, however, there’s no denying the media’s role. From Kay Jewelers commercials and songs like “My Valentine” to movies like “Valentine’s Day,” the media knows exactly what it’s doing on Feb. 14, even if we don’t.

Some people consider it a Hallmark holiday, where the only purpose is to materialistically demonstrate affection to your loved one through cards and gifts. According to a report done by MSNBC, Americans spent $13.7 billion on Valentine’s Day in 2006.

Girls are usually showered with red roses and fluffy stuffed animals, but sometimes people get creative and expensive with jewelry and personalized gifts. To be honest, I don’t believe Hershey’s Kisses and Sweet Tarts are the best way to win a girl’s heart, but it never fails to work wonders on this day.

I guess it’s subjective. Not every girl needs to sit in a dimly lit restaurant, gazing into the eyes of the guy sitting across from her. Not every guy needs to go crazy remembering his girlfriend’s favorite flower (although he should have never forgotten it in the first place). But some people choose to, and everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion.

I’m not trying to sound bitter or put Valentine’s Day down in any way. There is absolutely nothing wrong with having a valentine; I might even argue it would be better to have one. I’m just saying, if you are without one, there’s always next year. Red isn’t everyone’s color anyway. And chocolate tastes just as good when you eat it alone.