Valentine’s Day at the Mecca 

With Valentine’s Day swiftly approaching, students at the Mecca are beginning to solidify their Valentine and their plans for the 14th. 

The holiday meant to commemorate love allows many students to decide how they want to spend the day –whether it be alone, with friends and family, or with that special someone. 

Many students, such as senior student Cory Utsey, share the same belief that “celebrating love, whether platonically or romantically, is extremely important.”

A recent poll at Howard University shows the statistics on students’ hopes and plans for Valentine’s Day. The survey was sent out to students across campus and covered a range of topics pertaining to the special occasion:  the perfect gift to receive, students’ ideal way to celebrate the holiday, who they prefer to be their Valentine, and why Valentine’s Day is special to them. 

Students that participated in the survey identified who they would be spending their Valentine’s Day with. 43.2% of the students will be spending time with friends, 24.3 % with a significant other, 27% by themselves, and approximately 5.4% are not sure who they will be spending the holiday with. 

Senior Nylah Lee will be spending the day with friends, expressing, “I usually enjoy any holiday that gives me an excuse to buy gifts and spend time with people I love!”

Of the students that participated in the survey, 92.3% have solidified their plans regardless of what they entail.. 

Of that 92.3% of students, 48.7% of them plan on going out for the holiday. Many of the students noted that their night out includes going to dinner, the movies, or other fun activities: chair dancing, skating, bowling, picnicking, and going to the spa. 

Freshman Amaar Zarrieff said they will be spending the night having Valentine’s Day dinner with a few friends, which will include a gift exchange afterward. 

Those that are staying in plan to host movie nights, kickbacks, Galentine’s Day dinners, and/or an evening dedicated to self-care. 

Junior Stephani Clark plans on having a girls’ night in. “The girls & I are dressing up in pink & red and having a movie night together!” she says.

Cupid happened to buy plane tickets for a few of the Bison this year. Although a smaller percentage of students will be traveling for Valentine’s Day, some say they will be visiting places like Philadelphia, Atlanta, and Texas. 

As previously mentioned, one of the aspects of the survey included a round-up of what students like to receive on the holiday. 

Participants had a variety of suggestions for their ideal gift, with categories ranging from quality time to notes and cards, to a unique experience (travel, dates, activities, etc.,).

Many of the unique Valentine’s gifts that students desired the most fell into the experience category.

These suggestions came from students like senior Jamaica Kalika, who would want to receive “a ticket/day plan to Hudson’s table chefs competition in Philly.”

Similarly, senior Kiara Patterson said they would enjoy an experience that is  “something unique yet intimate.” 

Patterson said. “Something that’s special and a symbol of like/love. Maybe flowers, a surprise dinner, and a fun activity like ax throwing or painting.”

Lastly, students weighed in on who they would prefer their Valentine to be this year. 61.5% chose a significant other;17.9% preferred friends; and 15.4% of people said that they would want their parents/family to be their Valentine.

Students wrapped up the survey by sharing what makes Valentine’s Day special to them. 

Junior Juan Benn Jr., expresses, “Valentine’s Day is special to me because it’s a day to celebrate love, which is a thing I believe we lack in this world.” Benn will be celebrating love with friends this Valentine’s Day. 

Many students hold memories of the holiday that contribute to their appreciation for celebrating Valentine’s Day and why it is so important to them, including senior Bison JoyLynn Keeton who shared a fond memory about how her father made Valentine’s Day magical for her and her sister. 

“Valentine’s Day is special to me because it’s the first time I ever received flowers. My dad used to wake up early and sneak into our rooms with flowers and teddy bears. It’s one of my earliest memories and it taught me to love out loud,” said Keeton. 

Other students, such as junior Reina Martin, offered wisdom about the importance of celebrating and not only spreading love to others, but to yourself as well. 

“I think that Valentine’s Day is really special for me because I am not only able to celebrate others that I love, but also love myself a little bit extra. Sometimes we forget to love ourselves on a daily basis, and I am always sure to be super-mindful to love myself as well on Valentine’s Day.” Martin said.

No matter how you are spending your Valentine’s Day – whether it is with friends, family, or a significant other –, make sure to fill your day with love for yourself and those around you. Happy Valentine’s Day Bison.