There are always an awkward few months between New Year’s Day and the next big holiday. There is a drag in the overall excitement of people after Jan. 1 until about Saint Patrick’s Day.

The solution? Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day is a day dedicated to showering your significant other with lavish gifts and going out to expensive meals to show how much you love the other person. And the pressure of that is too much. There is too much pressure from the media, peers and even Hallmark to buy the perfect gift for your special someone, especially on high school students. Today, boys and girls are expecting the world from their young relationships on Valentine’s Day. The world is just not something high school-aged kids can afford. They do not have enough time or money in their busy schedules to buy the perfect gift and reserve the perfect restaurant.

In addition, this is not what Valentine’s Day is all about. Is it nice to get a bouquet of roses and some chocolate? Absolutely. But there are other things more important. Small acts that show your love for your significant other can go a long way, much longer than one night all dressed up at a fancy restaurant. This is truly what the day is about. Showcasing your love for someone can be the ultimate gift, and it does not have to come on one day in the middle of February. It can come anytime you want.

In addition to the pressure society puts on Valentine’s Day, if you’re single, this day is a reminder that you are alone. Watching everyone around you get showered with gifts and love is painful when you have no one to share this day with. It is forced on those who are not in relationships through the decorations, love songs and hearts filled with chocolate at your local grocery store. Single people dread this day because of the reminder that they are still alone. All in all, Valentine’s Day is just extra pressure on everyone—pressure that most people could do without.