6 HIGH TIDE February 14, 2008 STUDENT FOCUS February 14, 2008 HIGH TIDE 7 Single and Don’t be Cliche this Loving It... That Lovin Feeling By Sarah Wright Valentine’s Day Staff Writer By Anton Swain-Gill Staff Writer Valentine’s Day is a day for couples to share their love, buy candy, and give into the Hallmark industry. This is why single ove. L . Valentine’s day is a wonderful holiday people should replace Valentine’s Day with singles day on y We th . h that celebrates love and lovers. You have February 14 . There are many things single people can W H e the chance to woo a new love, or tell your do on Valentine’s Day and still have fun. a W signifi cant other how much you appreciate t them. However, Valentine’s Day has become While most people will be sitting at e incredibly cliche, and if the same old roses home eating the and expensive dinner come to mind, here are Rock chocolate they got from . a few alternative ideas to make this holiday y By Angie Rosal-White Valentine s Day By Lena Rothstein out of the ordinary. their valentine or out on a ’ Staff Writer Editor-In-Chief big dinner date, one can opt h . Climbingto exercise with a friend To many people, Valentine’s Day can be expressed through a box of chocolates, Every year when February 14th rolls around, Americans in a fun way. Take a This year, we a dozen roses, or simply a homemade greeting card. However it is undoubtedly nationwide are forced to face the reality that they are alone for yet another Valentine’s Day. Gone are . friend rock climbing are fortunate W linked to feelings of romanticism and time spent with loved ones. Regardless of the the years of decorating heart shaped boxes and dropping a special card onto each classmate’s desk. enough to have for the holiday and interpretation of this special day, it is considered to be a day of love. Valentine’s Day gives In high school, teens begin to realize the pressures of this Hallmark holiday and start to stress over V a l e n t i n e ’ s get in shape while secret admirers a chance to reveal themselves to that special someone. A friendly valentine can a day that should never be recognized in the fi rst place. Camping Day fall on the strengthening the express one’s affection to another person. Whether one chooses to stay up the night before Valentine’s The concept of Valentines Day is sweet; appreciating that special person in one’s life by showering Thursday before friendship at the same Day baking cookies for friends, or crafting the prefect decorated hearts made with love, Valentine’s Day them with fl owers and chocolate. However, the demands of this holiday distract from the real purpose the Presidents time. Solid Rock, 2074 Hancock St., is a perfect day to celebrate any relationship. of the day, and can end up being detrimental to oneself and possibly even the relationship. Day holiday is an indoor rock climbing gym in San For some people, the perfect Valentine’s Day date has been in the making for weeks. Senior Alex Abbott For people in a relationship, Valentine’s Day leads to certain expectations, even if they are weekend. This gives you the opportunity Diego that has great prices, $12 for one wants Valentine’s Day to be a special day to spend special time with his special someone. subconscious. When these expectations are not met one places blame on his or her signifi cant to really wow your sweetheart and day, and has a variety of walls to climb. “I want to take my girlfriend to the children’s pool and watch the waves break, then I’m hoping to read a other for seemingly trivial reasons. The day also causes substantial amounts of unneeded extend the valentine magic for longer Everyone else will be jealous when they love sonnet to her, and show her our unique love by giving her a cardboard cutout of me so she wont ever be pressure. Many guys stress over fi nding the perfect gift and creating a lasting impression, than usual. Use this opportunity to gained fi ve pounds in chocolate while you lonely,” Abbott said. which ends up distracting them from the real reason for the day, showing appreciation for one spend a relaxing weekend camping. are toned and fi t. “This is a phenomenal There is no right or wrong way to celebrate Valentine’s Day. For some couples a casual stroll on the another. Not only is it romantic, it is loads of idea because its adventurous and anyone beach is ideal, while others enjoy the elegance and charm associated with this holiday. “Since Valentine’s Day is on a weekday it is hard to do stuff for it. People make a big deal out fun and relatively cheap. Encinitas could enjoy rock climbing,” senior Danny Junior Samantha Esperaza wants to keep Valentine’s Day simple but memorable too. “I’m of it but there are a lot of other ways to show the person you care about how you feel” senior Jake has great beach side campsites, nice Breslow said. hoping this Valentine’s Day will be surprising and fun with my boyfriend, even if it’s just a nice Lambert said. restaurants and shoreline to explore. card. Just as long as I know he thinks of me on such a special day,” Esperaza said. Some students even believe Valentine’s Day is a way to try and make up for a lousy relationship, Movies are something Another beautiful place to spend Valentine’s Day is a time to express one’s love and appreciation through creativity. “All Valentine’s Day really is, is a way for guys to get out of the dog house for all the mistakes that most people do on a this four-day weekend is up in the Not only is Valentine’s Day a sappy holiday on which love is expressed, it can also they have made in the relationship over the past year,” senior Bryn Nau said. Living in a weekly basis, but make this a mountains. Although temperatures Movie be viewed as a day to show one’s appreciation towards another. Whether it is the nation where 45.8% of marriages end in divorce, teenagers are faced with the reality movie marathon. Save up some may be low, the romance is sure to heat appreciation of a simple friendship, or an appreciation for one’s well being, there that love does not conquer all, and Valentine’s Day can be a harsh reminder money and go see all the movies that up. is no doubt that hearts will be warmed this Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day is of that. one’s friends have been wanting to attend. Marathon the only holiday where the phrase “be mine” is acceptable and not awkwardly Another negative about Valentine’s Day is the sense of loneliness Stay away from movies that involve romance said, so take advantage of it and make this Valentine’s Day something to it brings to single men and women. The day gives off the vibe and try to see comedies. Turn the night into a game, every time someone celebrate. of love and happiness, which leads many people into a For the busy couple, an easy and talks about hating Valentine’s Day or wanting to have a valentine, have a It is easy and very common to get caught up in the business of weekdays, depression over something they wish they could attain. casual date is the best. If you cannot funny consequence. For example, do a dare or something embarrassing, so Valentine’s Day is the ultimate opportunity to focus solely on a loved Many singles spend the day eating massive get together until later at night, but harmless, so they will focus on just having fun with the group. This will one. Escape the hustle and bustle of every day lives, stop taking lovers amount of chocolate, and crying over a a date in front of the fi replace is keep everyone laughing all night long. “I love this idea. I go to the movies for granted, and dedicate February 14th to giving a valentine the best sappy movie. A poll done by MSNBC ideal. Kick your parents out of a lot but this would make the experience so much more memorable. My Day possible. showed that 15% of American women living room and cook your date friends and I also like to throw popcorn at all the couples,” freshman Aoife Keep it Simple This “Hallmark Holiday” can be cherished and memorable send themselves fl owers on Valentine’s their favorite dessert. Cooking for Collins said. for everyone. Valentine’s Day gives an excuse to wear Day to compensate for their lack of your date, especially their favorite treat, tells them as much pink and red as possible, be crafty and love life. you care and will impress even the hardest to win unique, eat as much chocolate as your “I usually just end up asking someone romantic prospect. Although stomach can take, and experience for some of their Valentine’s candy,” bowling is a warm, tingly feeling inside junior James Giammona said. a good couples Use Valentine’s Day as an Buying a star, and when receiving a In the end it is simple, Valentine’s activity, it is even better excuse to escape the familiarity naming it after a Gather a group of friends who don’t have Valentine’s special something Day is an unnecessary holiday that to go with a group of of La Jolla.