I have had the privilege of having a Valentine every year: my Dad. He is the best Valentine I could ask for; he loves me unconditionally, never forgets the date, and always showers me with flowers and chocolates. For 13 of those years, I had the luxury of having a second Valentine: my dog Byron who was named after the famous romantic French poet. Surprisingly, he even learned how to sign cards addressed to me. However, I think it’s safe to say that a girl needs more than family members (or pets) to wish them a happy Valentine’s Day on this special holiday.

Valentine’s Day is the one day out of the year for a girl to be pampered and appreciated. It’s definitely a test for a girl’s significant other; the only day that he really needs to prove himself.

Last year, I was abroad in Paris and my date passed this test with flying colors. He sent me on a scavenger hunt around Paris which ended at the Basilique Sacré-C?”ur, a church on a hill – the highest point of Paris overlooking the beautiful city. I didn’t want to confess that I was beginning to come down with a cold and that I was extremely high on DayQuil. Talk about ruining a moment. As we were nose-nuzzling and slugging the bottle of red wine he brought, I began to feel loopy and soon was acting well beyond mentally disabled. Like a true Valentine, he thought it was adorable and we smooched for the entire time that the Eiffel Tower sparkled. He then took me to a piano bar in Montmartre where we were serenaded with love songs.

Fast-forward a year later to the jewel that is Hamilton. The Edge Café is not quite a candlelit piano bar, and the Dollar Store is not exactly stocked with the most romantic items. One’s options are rather limited, but boys, you’ll just have to make do. For those girls who have a date, you can pretend not to care or expect anything, but seriously, who are you kidding? If you are one of the few couples that have been able to survive at Colgate, congratulations is in order and you should milk it for all its worth. For the vast majority of girls who actually have no clue where they stand with the guy that they have been waking up to after every night out, this day is just as important for you. If you’ve been in that gray, fuzzy area with this guy for a while now, it’s up to him to decide whether this casual fun is going to continue or not. Small gestures go a long way. A card, a flower, anything! For the remaining girls with no date, and no prospects in sight, congregate with your girlfriends and invest in a VooDoo doll and stick it where it hurts.

I will admit, Valentine’s Day might just be a holiday hyped up by Hallmark, but it’s still important nonetheless. According to Hallmark.com, 188 million Valentine’s Day cards are given a year. That’s a lot of money earned and trees killed, but at the end of the day, it’s a lot of individuals showing that they care. The pressure is on, boys. Don’t we do enough for you all year long? Do something nice, something genuine. I can promise you that you will probably benefit from your efforts that very same night.