By Taylor Rexrode
Staff Writer
When all you see are red roses, candy hearts and pink plush animals, you know it’s Valentine’s Day.
But for many busy students, Valentine’s Day this year will lack the chocolates and fancy dinner that make Valentine’s Day famously romantic.
Arlington sophomore Shelby Blue and Tyler junior Matthew Baldwin will spend Valentine’s Day performing at opening night for All-University Sing, leaving little room for celebrating the holiday. They have been dating for seven months.
“My family is coming to watch Sing that day so Matt and I aren’t really going to get to see each other except maybe for an hour or so before Sing,” Blue said. “It’s going to be a really hectic Valentine’s Day but it’s going to be fun. We’ll get to see all the hard work the other has been putting into Sing.”
Baldwin likes the ideology behind the holiday and believes that is what matters, even if he will spend this year’s holiday on stage.
“It’s a cool holiday to focus on someone you’re in a relationship with,” Baldwin said. “It’s a good excuse to tell someone you appreciate them. I look forward to cheering on Shelby at Sing.”
Even students not participating in Sing are toning down Valentine’s Day this year. Gainesville senior Elizabeth Puckett and her fiancé, Devvon Newman, will forgo the long-distance visit to save money for their upcoming nuptials.
“We’re not exactly doing Valentine’s Day in person this year,” Puckett said. “It’s in an effort to save money because we just paid a lot of money for our honeymoon in July.”
While many students on campus may not have a traditional Valentine’s Day, the holiday itself is still a billion-dollar industry, expected to bring in sales for candy, flower and jewelry companies.
For Baylor Flowers on South Fifth Street, Valentine’s Day is the busiest time of the year.
Lauren Darr, wedding coordinator, co-manager and designer at Baylor Flowers, says Valentine’s Day can be a stressful time of year.
“It’s not the same when you’re on this side of it,” Darr said. “We have 225 deliveries tomorrow and have had probably 60 pick-ups already. We ordered 1,500 red roses and we just ordered another 150 more. We started planning at Christmas and we ordered those at the beginning of January.”
Still, Darr said she enjoys the opportunity she has to meet new people and hear their stories.
“All the couples are different in the aspects of how long they’ve dated or been married,” Darr said. “There’s a lot of stories behind it. Some people are very specific and want a certain number of roses for the specific number of years in their relationship or marriage. It’s the thought that’s appreciated.”
Puckett said she believes that Valentine’s Day as a holiday should reflect the love felt toward a person throughout the year.
“Valentine’s Day shouldn’t be much different from any other day if you love someone,” Puckett said. “It is the day you go all-out and express love for another person; it’s just the day it’s OK with everybody else.”
