Michela Rosano photo Caitlin Zywotko is feeling the heat of the holiday.

The day is usually spent with a loved one, either showering each other with gifts, spending a romantic evening together or both.

Whatever the plans, the point is to spend it with someone special.

With all the emphasis on relationships and love at this time of year, single students often feel lonely and left out.

“It really is a peer-pressure thing. It has to do with liking yourself,” said Diane Melanson, Student Services counsellor.

All this pressure to be in a relationship, or even just have a date, for Valentine’s Day can weigh heavy on students.

“The pressure is on to maybe start a relationship which could lead to going steady that you might otherwise have thought twice about,” said Melanson.

Stephanie Winter, a first-year student in the travel and tourism program, recently broke up with her boyfriend and now finds herself without a date for the big day. She said the main feeling she has around this time of year is loneliness, since almost every storefront and commercial has something to do with Valentine’s Day.

“You just want to be with someone, even if it’s with your friends or family,” said Winter.

However, Winter said her friends are a source of Valentine’s Day pressure.

My friends are pushing (me) towards all these other guys right now,” she added. “I almost considered to take one just so I have someone.”

Caitlin Zywotko, a first-year student in the office administration program, broke up with her boyfriend of two years, just recently.

She said it’s not so much outside pressure, but more about self-pressure.

“You want to share it with someone,” she said. “You want to give and receive a gift out of love.”

The desire to fit in or have a feeling of togetherness could lead to some students scraping the bottom of the barrel to find their valentine, which they may have reconsidered if it was any other day of the year. Students will sometimes make rushed decisions about their plans and safety for the holiday.

Sue Barlow, nurse at the Algonquin Health Services, said that students should always take into account their sexual health and safety whatever their plans for the holiday may be.

She said that things like always practicing safe sex and limiting alcohol intake are important to remember when students are out on their Valentine’s Day dates.

“You’re really sleeping with every partner your partner has been with,” she said about making the decision to be intimate with a person.

However, Melanson offers some alternative and equally fun ways to enjoy the holiday without a date.

She said students could celebrate the holiday with friends and use the Valentine’s Day theme as a joke while exchanging gifts.

Nevertheless, she said, it’s better for students to invest time in a more steady relationship that can grow, rather than one good night out.