Bittersweet Holiday

Ferris students share horror stories and fairytales of St. Valentine

It’s that time of the year again where love is in the air and flower shops are crammed with deliveries for Feb. 14.
Some people dread Valentines Day, solely because it’s a reminder for single people that they are still in fact single, while others spend weeks planning the perfect outfit for the perfect date that is to take place on this day.
For some Ferris students, Valentines Day is not all it’s cracked up to be, even if you are off the market.
Healthcare Administration junior Ellen Pritchard didn’t exactly have the  perfect Valentine’s Day that most girls dream of.
“When I was in high school, my boyfriend bought me flowers and a stuffed bear for Valentine’s Day,” Pritchard said. “I was so excited until I found out that he also bought one of my friends flowers too. By the end of the year, they were dating. It was embarrassing back then, but now it’s not such a big deal.”

Valentine’s Day doesn’t get much better for Public Relations senior Carman Plank, who found herself in a similar situation.
“Last year, a boy asked me out for dinner at 5 o’clock, I was excited and told my debate partner, who also just happens to be one of my good friends, only to find out that the same boy asked her out for dinner at 8 o’clock,” Plank said. “Needless to say, neither of us went out with the boy, but guys, if you’re going to ask two different girls out on a date, just make sure that they aren’t debate partners!’
If these V-Day horror stories haven’t scared you off yet, don’t lose hope. There is still some romance left in the holiday.

Ferris freshman Samantha Kramer went to Chicago with her boyfriend of two years for an unforgettable Valentine’s Day. “He took me to a fancy restaurant in the city,” Kramer said. “I don’t remember the name, but it was really nice and later he proposed. It was really romantic.”
Even for a V-day veteran like Ferris psychology and cultural anthropology instructor Thuy Karafa, the holiday is a nice opportunity to keep the romance alive.
“I have been with my husband for a long, long time and we usually get each other a little candy,” Karafa said.
Despite having a tight schedule, Karafa and her husband always find time to share the love.
“We live busy lives with a young child,” Karafa  said. “We try to celebrate Valentine’s Day on the exact day, but sometimes we have to push the celebrations to later in the week when it’s more convenient, and to me, that’s more important. I would rather wait for a time when we can both enjoy it, rather than being rushed.”