February 14 is known as Single Awareness Day or the less popularly coined term: Valentine’s Day.

What else could be better than having a day solely for the purpose of giving your significant other a fuzzy little teddy bear (that your dog will most likely eat), a heart-shaped box of chocolates (because chocolate obviously tastes better when it’s in a heart-shaped box) or a shiny helium balloon (which will most likely fall into a pit of darkness in the corner of your room)?

“I like that the day after [Valentine’s Day], most candy and flowers are marked down, which gives you the opportunity to buy your friends gag-gifts,” an anonymous commenter said.

A free soda with a cute little note are the only things to look forward to in regards to Valentine’s Day in school. It’s a win-win situation, you get a free can of soda, and the person who sent it to you was bestowed with the honor of putting a smile on your face (turns out you don’t like the flavor of soda they got you and you end up handing it to some kid in the hallway).

”I don’t really mind being single on Valentine’s day,” Kennedy Roberson (11) said. “When you are single, you don’t have to worry about buying gifts.”

Companies like 1-800 Flowers, Hallmark Cards and The Hershey Company make substantial profits off Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day is commercialized to the point where relationships may end because one partner failed to buy extravagant gifts.

The idea of Valentine’s Day is rather shallow; the public is manipulated into thinking that a single day in February is a hit or miss situation in regards to making your significant other happy.

“I feel as if competition in gift-giving is sparked by their affection for each other,” Brandon Nwokeji (11) said. “I have seen time and time again how relationships can be ruined if someone doesn’t enjoy their gift, and the idea that they could be in that situation scares them.”

Average annual Valentine’s Day spending totals up to over $13 billion according to StatisticBrain, which is approximately worth far less than a hug or a simple “I love you.”

Valentine’s Day can be very beneficial for single people. Who wouldn’t want a box of chocolate for 50 percent off? So, when you find yourself feeling alone on Valentine’s Day, just think about how lucky you are to have a loving, fulfilling relationship with Netflix, your fridge and half priced candy.