Valentine’s Day is finally here and many students at USC might be spending the holiday with a romantic partner. From buying a significant other flowers, to a romantic candle-lit dinner, or even just spending a few hours of quality time together, one thing is for certain: love is in the air. After all, Valentine's Day is a celebration centered around expressing affection with gifts and other gestures.
Even though the holiday provides an opportunity for couples to come together for a romantic occasion, students should be careful about using the holiday as forced motivation to do something nice for a loved one. Romance shouldn't only exist one day of the year. Instead, it should be consistent, especially to promote a healthy long-term relationship.
According to Hallmark, 145 million Valentine's Day cards are exchanged every year. Consumers are motivated to give their loved one a card since it is a tradition that dates back to the 15th century. Receiving a Valentine's Day card from a romantic partner is expected in today's day and age.
But what about the other days of the year? If romance is only showcased to a partner on just one day, what does that mean for the relationship as a whole?
Imagine coming home from a long day of classes on a random afternoon. You have been studying and busy with school work. Like all college students, sometimes the stress might pile up. Then, you realize your partner wrote you a romantic note and now your day is made. Rather than focusing on all of the bad things that might have happened in your day, you think of your significant other. Their random act proves that you've been on your mind. You feel good about yourself and your relationship.
It might not seem like a lot, but these small gestures go a long way in terms of facilitating a healthy long-term partnership. When positive memories go into long-term memory in the brain, they stay there. These random gestures in our everyday lives allow students to look back on simple moments, like a random card that isn't bought for a specific holiday occasion and remember them fondly. The longer a couple has been together, the easier it might be to lose that spark and factoring in romance on a consistent basis might strengthen a relationship.
According to Business Insider, Valentine's Day also creates high expectations which adds a lot of pressure. If a couple does not go on dates regularly, they might want the night to be perfect. When this bar is not met, a relationship can end up being harmed as date night becomes a high expectation for a couple to meet.
A relationship is not supposed to be stressful. Love is supposed to be fun, exciting and even vulnerable at times. Yet, adding pressure to make one night of the year "perfect", might not be healthy for long-term success in relationships.
Students might get comfortable with their partner and the longer the two are together, the less they go out on dates. Bringing a sense of romance into a relationship more often might help students and their romantic partners. Going on dates helps boost connection, builds positive interactions and lets couples have fun together.
Couples should consider going out more often, spending more quality time together admit the college chaos and find simple moments to relax and have fun. Making date night a routine might help a student discover more about their partner and their self in terms of their coupling.
As store-bought flowers began to wilt, heart-shaped chocolate boxes are finished and the Valentine's season officially ends, students should remember to keep the romance alive. Don't wait for next year to do something nice. Start now and keep it going throughout the relationship.