Valentines, Schmalentines!
Teen View Correspondent, Stephanie Arizpe
In light of last month, the so-called month of "love," I found it appropriate to share my consequent feelings. For many teens, Valentine’s Day is a great day to share together. It's a time for expressing feelings for one another and even for exchanging gifts as tokens of love.
Then there's the teen like me. February rolls around and my feelings turn bitter and angry. I scowl at couples and make fun of their petty gift-giving. I complain and complain about not having a date for that special day — and my self-esteem plummets.
It may be easy for many of you to empathize. But it’s unfortunate that we can't avoid the month's arrival or the sappy atmosphere that accompanies it. And if you are one of those bitter people, then you are in for sure trouble year-round, because relationships are inevitable; they’re a fact of life.
You can, however, learn to recognize your negative feelings and their source, and avoid them in the future. This reflection on my feelings in February is what inspired me to share my thoughts this month. I know, it isn't any fun missing out on the great times one might be having in a relationship, but that doesn’t mean that you have to suffer through it.
For a long time I beat myself up with thoughts such as "I'm not good enough" and "I'm not lovable." The first thing I needed to do was to rid my head of these negative thoughts and bitter feelings towards couples and relationships in general. It isn't healthy to see yourself in a negative light, and it doesn't make you a happy person either. What's more, is that most people prefer not to be around those who harbor those feelings.
Just remember: anyone who really cares so much about your APPEARANCE doesn't care at all about YOU. It's important to be happy with who you are, and equally important is being happy with where you are. You can be single and happy, completely happy. No one needs a romantic relationship to maintain positive feelings. It's just as much fun getting to know people and making friends by simply spending time together in a platonic setting. I have so much fun hanging out with friends every weekend that I don't even worry about whether or not a boy likes me anymore. My friends like me for who I am, and they like hanging out with me just the same. I didn't even worry once last month about whether or not I'd have a date for Valentine's Day. Instead, I threw a movie party and had my best friends come over for quality girl time!
The last thing to remember here is that there is nothing wrong with you! It's a mistake people make too often; thinking that they did something wrong or that they deserve not to have a boyfriend or girlfriend. Let me assure you that this is never the case; it just takes time to find a good person who you can spend your time with and with whom you can eventually start a relationship. It's up to you to be happy with who you are, where you are, and how you are. Valentine's Day can easily be a year-round experience, not just a one-time event.
