By Stephanie Shaakaa
Welcome to the battlefield of love, where roses are weapons, chocolates are currency, and everyone is either a hopeless romantic or a reluctant hostage. The world has turned red again, and whether you love it or dread it, there’s no escaping Valentine’s Day.
Malls are drowning in heart-shaped decorations, restaurants are booked solid, and somewhere right now, a guy is frantically Googling “romantic gifts that don’t look last minute.” Love is in the air—or is that just the scent of overpriced perfumes and mild panic?
But for me, February 14th is bigger than love. It’s the day I was born.
Most people get roses on Valentine’s Day. I got life. While the world scrambles for candlelit dinners and grand gestures, I wake up to the ultimate love story another year, another breath, another reason to be grateful. Maybe that’s why I’ve never needed a Valentine’s date to feel special. The day itself has always loved me first.
While some are planning proposals, others are plotting their escape.
Gone are the days when men were the only ones dodging Valentine’s Day obligations like secret agents. Now, women have mastered the art of the last-minute “urgent business trip,” the conveniently timed “power outage,” or the classic “sorry, I caught malaria in 24 hours” excuse. Men, welcome to the age of equality.
And then there are the women in male-dominated fields who once dismissed Valentine’s Day as corporate nonsense. Fast forward to 2025, and they’re leading the charge—engineers writing love equations, doctors prescribing hugs and kisses as medicine, CEOs shutting down entire restaurants for intimate dinners. Overcompensating? Maybe. But hey, we love to see it.
Critics argue that love should be celebrated every day, not just on February 14th. Sure, that’s a nice thought. But let’s be real—life gets in the way. Work deadlines, traffic, bills. Sometimes we need a reminder to pause, look at the people we love, and actually tell them.
Beyond the chocolates and Instagram posts, the beauty of Valentine’s Day is in the little things. The nervous guy picking out a bouquet for his crush. The elderly man buying flowers for his wife of fifty years. The child writing a Valentine’s card for their parent.
Love, in all its simplicity, is what makes life worth it.
For those flying solo, this is not a pity party. Being single on Valentine’s Day is basically a financial blessing no overpriced dinners, no last-minute gift anxiety, no pretending to love a giant teddy bear you now have to find space for.
Besides, love isn’t just about romantic relationships. It’s in friendships, family, random acts of kindness, and most importantly, self-love. So if your plan is to binge Netflix in sweatpants, congratulations you’re still winning.
Whether you’re drowning in romantic plans, fake crying to escape multiple admirers, or just vibing alone with a glass of wine, celebrate.
Because love isn’t just about roses, rings, or relationship status.
Love is life. And if, like me, February 14th gave you both, then damn…what a day to be alive.
Stephanie Shaakaa writes from University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Benue state
