I am a sucker for Valentine’s Day. I buy into the grandiose gestures, the Edible Arrangements, even the sell-out Hallmark cards. I love expressing love for the people I care about. That being said, I am 100 percent single right now, so my Friday is likely to be very PG.

However, for all the lovers out there who plan on legitimately observing Valentine’s Day, proper celebration can be a challenge within itself in a college setting.

Dorm rooms and shared houses are not the ideal places for proclaiming and consecrating love, but as the French saying goes: c’est la vie. I guess there is always the option of renting a room at the Sheraton, a hotel that is conveniently located literally on campus.

As college students, we are perpetually broke. Yes, an evening of fine dining with your serious significant other or hookup du jour is a fun way to class up ‘Cuse for the night, but it can also break the bank.

Gifts are tricky, and are completely dependent on a relationship’s duration and level of seriousness. In general, college students are not throwing down for luxury goods. However, if a token of affection is in the cards this year, the more ornate and ostentatious, the better, because material goods are no laughing matter at SU. If the designer item you are buying does not clearly show a logo or label, you are better off without it.

Whether dinner is ordering-in from Acropolis, playing house while cooking an aphrodisiac meal together or a night on the town, the meal itself is hardly the main event. Even if you and your significant other skip out on all of the other classic Valentine’s Day celebrations, sex is bound to happen.

In fact, a study published by Time Magazine on Feb. 10 stated that a significant number of couples would not mind skipping over the gift-giving portion of the evening and instead get straight to the sex portion.

Gone are the days of cliché jewelry and chocolate boxes — people just want to get down and dirty. This suggests that our generation is becoming less materialistic and focusing more on cultivating real relationships.

As the old adage goes, “money can’t buy happiness.” Although we all think we are happy when we open that little blue box, that spike in mood elevation fades quickly. Having sex, however, produces a long-term euphoric effect and can increase a person’s general happiness.

Spending Valentine’s Day in the sheets means increased intimacy, which translates into an overall stronger relationship. Oxytocin, which is the hormone released during sex and even kissing, prompts an urge to bond. That’s the reason for wanting to cuddle after sex. In essence, sex increases closeness.

Do not be afraid to spice it up on Valentine’s Day. Whether the handcuffs and whips are successful or catastrophic, any adventurous activity can result in a closer bond and a memorable experience.

This is not to say that sex outside of a relationship is not as effective in regard to a person’s health and mood. If they so desire, singles on Valentine’s Day are able to blow off some steam, too, especially in this day and age.

With the help of apps like Tinder or SmileBack, it is easy and convenient to find casual hookups just in time for the lovey-dovey holiday. Simply getting it on with someone, regardless of relationship status, offers health benefits as well, such as stress release. At this point in the semester, stress relief might be exactly what the doctor ordered.

Those flying solo should not feel forever alone. Besides the obvious option of taking control and pleasuring oneself, there are alternative ways to spend V-Day. Love is not necessarily limited to significant others; celebrate with close friends or family.

Whether you are single or attached, Valentine’s Day is a time to revel in over-the-top, mushy-gushy emotion and spread the love.

Meg Zukin is a freshman television, radio and film major. Her column appears every Wednesday in Pulp. Email her at mtzukin@syr.edu and follow her on Twitter at @MargaretTZukin.

Published on February 12, 2014 at 12:03 am