When February 14 strikes, grocery stores are stocked with heart-shaped chocolates and handmade cards for significant others. Restaurants are fully booked for lovey-dovey date nights and romantic proposals. For decades, Valentine’s Day has been traditionally reserved for couples, but who said the “I Love You” written in icing on a vanilla cake was only meant for romantic partners? Valentine’s Day has hit a new trend: being seen as a holiday where Dubs celebrate the love between friends, family, and people important to them, not just with boyfriends and girlfriends.

In movies and TV shows, bouquets of roses and cute teddy bears are common gifts for the day of grand gestures. Over the years, the famous Valentine’s Day tradition of giving Valentines to others has lived on, as Dubs continue to exchange chocolates and affectionate gifts between couples. However, sophomore Walker Stevens believes students should consider doing the same for their pals. “We should normalize giving Valentines to our best friends and family,” said Stevens. “The holiday is that much more fun when it’s inclusive.”

The first word Warriors often think of when it comes to Valentine’s Day is “love.” While Valentine’s Day most commonly celebrates the romantic component of love, the platonic one is more common along the halls of North. Many Dubs celebrate Valentine’s Day with their relatives at home instead of exclusively thinking about romance, expanding the terms of traditional festivities. “I love when my dad gets me a teddy bear on the morning of Valentine’s Day,” said junior Erielle Sharpe. “The small gesture makes me feel happy and appreciated.”

Aside from serenading lovers with gifts and candy, Valentine’s Day is notorious for grand engagements. However, many classic Valentine’s dates cater just as well to Warriors and their friends as to couples. “My friends and I will always find an excuse to go out, even if the occasion doesn’t call for it,” said sophomore Ellie Winslade. “Valentine’s Day is a picnic-worthy night for Dubs, single and coupled alike.”

On the other hand, some students think celebrating Valentine’s Day with platonic lovers is a bizarre concept. Childlike innocence and excitement often surround students’ memories of Valentine’s Day, deterring them from gestures of platonic love on February 14. Some Dubs, therefore, align with the romantic side of the holiday because it gives them an excuse to fantasize about love like they did as a child. “Romance is what Valentine’s Day is all about,” said freshman Armistead Whitney. “Loving friends and family is something we should do every day anyway.”

Warriors are forming different interpretations of how they should celebrate as the day of love approaches. Regardless of romantic involvement, Valentine’s Day is a day to honor the people we value most. Enjoy this season of love with relatives and close friends, and have a happy Palentine’s, Dubs!