While meeting up with your Tinder match for the first time on the most romantic holiday of the year might sound like a great idea, it can actually be a disaster for you and your wallet.
Valentine’s Day is commonly known as an exploitation of our feelings and affection, a marketing ploy to get people to spend as much money as possible on candy hearts and teddy bears. A single person on Valentine’s Day will usually find any way to distract themselves from the endless public displays of affection, but sometimes they find a way to join in by going on a first date.
Problem No. 1 with first dates on Valentine’s Day is the fact that the people surrounding you are usually desperately in love, leading to increased feelings of affection on your part. It’s easy to fall straight into the honeymoon phase when you’re eating at the nicest restaurant in town and the live band is playing an array of love songs.
This may not seem like an issue at first until reality sets in, the music fades and the romance with it. Your first date was so carefully crafted to maximize the amount of love that your next few will pale in comparison. When you cannot seem to feel the spark you felt on the first night, you might find yourself wondering, “What happened to the guy I met on Valentine’s Day?”
High expectations are rarely fulfilled, especially in relationships. Valentine’s Day sets the stage for the most romantic dates, and when you start at the top, it can only go downhill. The disappointment that follows these extreme first dates might not always end relationships, but if it does not last, you’ll be reminded every Valentine’s Day of your first date with your ex-partner, potentially ruining the romantic holiday altogether.
Now, let’s say this first date does not turn into a relationship at all. You avoid the disappointment, but your wallet is empty. Dating is expensive enough already, but it is especially pricey on Valentine’s Day. Men in 2021 spent an average of $231 on the holiday, while women spent an average of $101. If the relationship does not continue, is it worth the time and money?
Rather than joining in on the romance, a single person on Valentine’s Day is better off treating themselves to personal chocolates and roses. No disappointing second or third dates and a full wallet, they have made an investment in their own happiness. If you’re still looking for a distraction from the holiday, find some single friends and make fun of rom-coms all night.
It’s better than making fun of yourself later for wasting the holiday on somebody that won’t last.
Mia Coco is a 19-year-old political communication freshman from Alexandria.