Is Romance Dead at SLC? Ray Schechter '15 investigates
Is valentine's day a dead holiday? IS Romance dead? is anyone at slc celebrating? RAY SCHECHTER EXPLORES THE LOVER'S DAY.
This Valentine’s Day is seriously going to be the most exciting Valentine’s Day since 2014! As we all know, the pulitzer-prize winning book “Fifty Shades of Grey” will meet fans’ true expectations as it transforms onto the big screen! Other very exciting things SLCers have to look forward to this Valentine’s Day will include but are not limited to: the gender binary being reinforced by greeting card corporations, Laser Tag of some sort on campus somewhere, and an increase in sales at Kay’s Liquor store in Fleetwood.
With there being so much to do in the world I couldn’t help but wonder to myself, what are kids on Sarah Lawrence campus doing this Valentine’s Day? How will students be “celebrating” or blatantly ignoring the biggest marketing ploy corporations can think of? I reached out to senior Grace Pourdrier and sophomores Amos Damroth and Ollie Kinkel to investigate what real students think of the upcoming holiday.
Grace Pourdrier '15was kind enough to interview, but preferred that her work be featured in this piece rather than her face.
What are you doing for Valentine’s Day?
G: “Nothing. I never make plans. I think it’s a stupid holiday. It’s all for the purpose of Hallmark, they make millions of dollars off of it.”
What do you think of the “holiday” Valentine’s Day?
Grace mentioned an article called “The Inventor of Mother's Day Disowned the Holiday, and So Should We All” published by The Atlantic on May 11, 2013. Feel free to read it for yourself. I think Grace did what any other SLC student might do when approaching a question such as this one, which was to negate popular opinion and research why Valentine’s Day actually sucks. Check out the article for a little history on where Valentine’s Day actually originated from.
Are you celebrating on campus? How are you celebrating?
G: “No…”
What would you do if you received a bouquet of flowers from a secret admirer?
G: “I don’t think anyone who knows me well would ever think to do that. I think that’s weird.”
What is the most romantic experience you’ve ever participated in?
G: “I don’t believe in that shit. What people think is romantic is fairly subjective.”
Grace wasn’t the only student shaking with excitement about the upcoming lover’s holiday, Amos Damroth ‘17 and Ollie Kinkel ‘17 were kind enough to share their thoughts on where exactly they will be celebrating VDAY this year.
Amos Damroth 17’ & Ollie Kinkel 17’
What are you doing for Valentine’s Day?
O: I’m going to be spending some time with my girlfriend in NYC.”
A: “I think I’m opening for Dubbel Dutch in the blue room...that might be next week though… you might have to do some fact checking Ray.”
What do you think of the ‘holiday’ Valentine’s Day?
O: “People always say that it’s created by Hallmark, I think it is really sick that there’s a whole day devoted to romance.”
A: “Yeah I’m down with that.”
Have you celebrated Valentine’s Day on campus?
O: “Yes my first kiss with my girlfriend was on Valentine’s Day last year.”
A: “I was in the same place.”
What would you do if you received flowers from a secret admirer?
O: “I’d be really flattered but I’d also be like ‘I have a girlfriend so I can’t hook it up.’”
A: “Same for me, but I would be able to hook it up because I don’t have a girlfriend.”
Well there you have it. Students are obviously obsessing over the upcoming romantic holiday. You should go out and pick up your wine now, pop that top open, and cheers to a lovely celebration.