While the origins of Valentine’s Day remain somewhat shrouded in mystery, it is no mystery why young adults have strong opinions towards the holiday. Some teenagers enjoy the day because they can celebrate romance with someone they love, or they dislike the holiday altogether.

“On Valentine’s Day, everyone feels like they have to love someone. It’s very forced,” said sophomore Tyrese Williams. “And if you are in a relationship, you feel like you have to spoil them to death.”

Many young adults feel this way or view Valentine’s Day as a commercial holiday, which, incidentally, it is. Many companies profit by placing a price on love, with greeting cards, chocolates, and giant teddy bears. And young adults aren’t blind to it either.

“Valentine’s is the worst, it is such a forced holiday,” said junior Juliet Roewer. “I would rather just hang out on any other day.”

Though many who dislike the holiday are single, many couples also express disinterest.

“Valentine’s Day is good if you are in a relationship, but it’s bad if you are single,” said senior Devon Fuster-Napoles. “I think it’s good for starting a relationship and bad for ending one.”

Valentine’s Day was named for Saint Valentine on Feb. 14, during the Roman festival of Lupercalia. Lupercalia was a festival of love and fertility, which took place from Feb. 14 to 16. Though it may sound similar, the Roman festivals were much more extreme than the holidays of today. Later, the Catholic Church, viewing Valentine as a martyr, named February 14, the anniversary of his death, Valentine’s Day. While Valentine’s Day may not be as extreme as the Roman festivals held in the past, people still celebrate the “love” (but not necessarily the fertility) this man symbolized.

“I don’t believe in love in general,” said junior Nic Brucker. “Especially high school love, it’s just so fleeting. I don’t know how people even have time to be in love.”