To senior Natalie Mix, Valentine’s Day is simply for joy and leisure. Some students around FHC have different plans and thoughts on what exactly Valentine’s Day is for. Some may see it more as a romantic holiday while others might like appreciating those in their lives. 

“Valentine’s day is right before my birthday,” said Natalie, one of the Editors in Chief of The Central Trend. “I tend to get excited about it, and I hang out with friends and will buy stupid things at the store.” 

As part of TCT, Natalie wants to engage in Valentine’s Day with all the students in her favorite class. She decided to take the idea head-on and come up with a TCT Valentine’s Day celebration with one of her fellow editors, senior Emma Zawacki. 

“Emma and I just talked about it and discussed having a [kindergarten type] Valentine’s Day in our classroom,” Natalie said. 

TCT was unable to do activities like this last year due to COVID-19; however, there was a bake sale the year before and there will be one again on Monday, Feb. 14th before school by the cafeteria with treats that will be sold for less than $2. The whole staff is excited about the approaching holiday and many other students at FHC have plans of their own with significant others or even just their friends; after all, Valentine’s Day means different things to different people. 

Junior Mady Grimaldi has different plans in mind and her meaning of Valentine’s Day might be different than others. 

“I think Valentine’s Day means hanging out with [a significant other],” Mady said. “[Valentine’s Day] can also be used to show appreciation for friends and family.” 

Like other students, Mady has a small “Galentine’s Day tradition.” Galentine’s Day is a day where girls will show their friends affection and appreciation while thanking them for being there for them throughout their lives. This takes place on Feb. 13th so they can still celebrate Valentine’s Day even if their friends are in a relationship.

Not only does Mady celebrate with her friends, but she also celebrates a lot with family and remembers lots of core memories from her childhood. 

“Every Valentine’s Day,” Mady said, “we have chocolate fondue as a family. I also loved the Valentine’s Day parties with our shoeboxes and little notes while also getting candy.” 

Valentine’s Day traditions are vital to many communities. As stated before, The Central Trend even has a bake sale as a tradition starting back up. With COVID-19 restrictions, home-cooked goods cannot be brought in, so store-bought goods will have to suffice for this year. 

“I’m excited about the bake sale,” Natalie said. “It will be [enjoyable] going [out] and buying all of the [food], and even decorating [the classroom].”

Feb. 14th is not nearly as serious of a holiday when compared to holidays like Christmas or Thanksgiving, but it can still bring a lot of wholesome moments. One of the most exciting parts of Valentine’s Day is chocolate and candy in general.

“My cousin surprised me with this huge Hershey’s Kiss,” freshman Seder Middaugh said. “I ate all of it and left no scraps.” 

Even freshman like Seder may have a different idea of what exactly Valentine’s Day means and his plans may revolve around a special someone. 

With young love in the air, Seder has a girlfriend of his own to show his appreciation for. So what exactly do high school students do for valentines day with their significant other?

“I’d love to hang out and exchange gifts,” Seder said. “I [have] her gifts, and I am excited to see her reaction.” 

High school has many different types of relationships, from friendships to romance; it just proves that Valentine’s Day means lots of things to different people. This is new to many people, whether they are just now in a relationship or just starting a new tradition with friends or family. On some occurrences, it’s not just Valentine’s Day that gets people excited for this month. 

“My birthday is the day after Valentine’s Day,” Natalie said. “I get excited [for this month] regardless, and I like to hang out with my friends a lot [around this time].” 

To Natalie, Valentine’s Day is about joy and leisure, but students, such as Seder and Mady, live different lives and have their traditions. There are various reasons for excitement regarding the holiday, whether it is a birthday nearby or just seeing that special someone, and Valentine’s day has something for everyone. 

“It’s a fun kind of cheesy,” Natalie said. “It is a cute, cheesy, and fun holiday.”