Yes, we can all decry the fact that Valentine’s Day, really a Roman Catholic feast day (for a very obscure Saint Valentine), has been morphed into a detestable corporate invention, but at the end of the day, many will participate. This is also true at universities across the United States, as co-eds embrace love.
I remember in my time at Boston College that on one Valentine’s Day, I went to a basketball game. As my buddy and I walked to the arena (both of us were woefully single at the time, but thankfully no longer), we saw young men walking around hand-in-hand with their ladies, while others carried flowers, chocolates, large stuffed animals, and so forth. Some were committing to dinner plans off-campus, while others were hoping for a nice romantic meal close to home.
The rationale should be rather obvious: those guys wanted to get laid that night. Most probably did, as a matter of fact.
The idea of a sexual quid pro quo is nothing new, especially on V-Day. Is it the only motivating factor in college men showering gifts and expensive dinners on their girlfriends? No, because I’m sure that true love is part of the equation for some, but look: I was a college guy, and not very long ago at that. I know how they think, even if they don’t always act how I would have. If a young gentleman has a girlfriend and he determines that lavishing his honey with Valentine’s Day happiness will get him something in return, you better damn believe he’ll be booking reservations at a nice restaurant and buying two dozen roses.
I’m not saying that this is ideal, nor am I saying girls should automatically put out if their man buys them something on this occasion, but it is the reality of the situation. In fact, it extends far beyond college, but college kids are definitely not impervious to the lure of this fake holiday.
My advice might be a little unpopular, but if you’re going to buy things and treat your special someone to a night out, do it first and foremost because you love and care for them; let the chips fall where they may. If you don’t get anything in return, don’t despair.
But if you do, I doubt I’ll hear you complaining.
