Depending on the circumstances, Valentine’s Day can have mixed results. Sometimes, it means a day devoted to romance between you and your sweetheart. Other times, a collegiette can be left wondering if Cupid’s arrow hit the wrong mark. Regardless, we all have our ups and downs when it comes to February 14th, and our experiences make for great stories! Here are some V-Day dates that have had a lasting effect, for better or for worse:
V-Day Victories
“My boyfriend and I have now been together for 4 1/2 years. Last year we decided that for Valentine's Day we were going to take our first road trip somewhere. We decided to spend the weekend in Washington, D.C. We went to a very nice sushi dinner, then went to see the Wizards play the Spurs (Go Spurs Go!) and then took the long way back to the hotel so we could see some of the city. The next day we went sightseeing and went to museums. Maybe it seems nerdy, but it was so fun to be away and be by ourselves. I can definitely say that weekend made us fall even more in love.” – Mel, James Madison University
“For Valentine’s Day about two years ago, my boyfriend and I took this ancient massage class at a local yoga place. We had started seeing each other about a month ago and hadn't officially decided to be exclusive, but it sounded fun and I've always liked yoga. I thought it sounded unique and interesting if nothing else. The class was mostly pairs of married couples or girlfriends enjoying a man-free Valentine’s Day. We were the youngest people there by far. Seeing a guy try to be flexible is hilarious to say the least. The fact that the class was all about celebrating and appreciating each other without the commercialism was so cool. Not to mention the massage skills you get out of it!” - Allison, University of Utah
“My favorite Valentine’s Day date happened a few years ago. My boyfriend at the time picked me up and wouldn’t tell me where we were going, which was fun because I love surprises. We ended up at an ice-skating rink! Neither of us was expecting the other to know how to ice-skate already, so it was a nice surprise when we were able to focus on our conversation instead of trying not to fall. We held hands while we skated and talked for a long time. Afterwards, we got hot cocoa and pizza to warm up. It was simple and sweet!” – Briana, University of Missouri-Kansas City
Love Letdowns
“Last year on Valentine's Day, my boyfriend and I were both off at college. I wanted to spend it together, so I decided to make the five-hour drive and surprise him at school! We had a great weekend together and I left feeling proud of myself for doing something so nice. The next day (it was the actual day of Valentine's Day), I was on my way to class when I received a phone call from him. Instead of a Happy Valentine's Day, I was shocked to hear that he was breaking up with me! He said he'd met another girl and had planned to wait until after Valentine's Day to tell me. In the end I was the one who ended up with the surprise!”- Courtney, Indiana University
“I was asked out to see a movie, but when we got there it was sold out. Instead of looking for another movie, he ended the date and decided to get something to eat. He didn’t ask me to join him and then he got on the phone with his mom in front of me, telling her he wasn’t doing anything important. He then dropped me off at my dorm and told me he had a fraternity party to go to later and to have a good night. What a loser!”- Ali, Baker University
“My boyfriend of a few months and I had planned a really simple but cute Valentine’s date. We were going to go to a new sushi restaurant, and then we were going to catch a movie and get some drinks afterwards. Our meal was really good, and we had a great time at dinner, but about 20 minutes after we left I knew something was wrong. I felt so nauseous! I did some deep breathing and tried to divert my attention, but it only got worse as we went into the movie. Still, I was too embarrassed to say anything to my boyfriend. Halfway through the movie, it hit me and I got sick in the theater! It was mortifying, and my Valentine’s Day date came to a very sudden stop. Thankfully, my boyfriend was nice and we still laugh about it today.” – Claire, Ohio State University
In Between
“It was my first date with my high school boyfriend. Sinatra was playing, he had an apron on and he put roses on the table. It appeared that he had made me this gorgeous dinner! It was all so adorable! He even bought me a box of chocolates. A few months later when we were getting more serious, I told him that I would never lie to him. He said, ‘I've lied to you before...’ I was like, ‘Geez how many other girls is he dating?’ He then proceeded to inform me that his mom had made the whole Valentine’s dinner and snuck out right before I got there... and to think I had the guts to ruin macaroni and cheese the first time I cooked for him!”- Veronica, Indiana University
“I was excited for Valentine’s Day last year because I had a guy that I was beginning a relationship with. He told me to plan on going out, so I bought a new dress and tried to make myself look super cute. When he came to pick me up, I asked him what we were going to do. We ended up going to his apartment and watching a boxing match with his friends. It was not romantic to say the least, and I felt so out of place since I had dressed for a date. He paid way more attention to the TV than to me. After about an hour, I texted my best guy friend to see if he’d come get me. Long story short, he took me out to a diner after he picked me up, and now we’ve been together for almost a year.” -Emily, University of Illinois
Even if your date is heading for disaster, you could be looking back on it and laughing in the years ahead. And remember, V-Day is just one day of the year! Don’t let it be the only one with some romance involved. It is always possible to bounce back from bad dates and look forward to better ones in the future - whether they happen on Valentine’s Day or not!