(Feb. 9, 2012) — “Holidays such as Valentine’s Day may seem like a good chance to show a person how much you love them, “ said junior Armen Dzulfayan. “But nowadays, holidays give people an excuse to give people presents and some things are getting too excessive.” “Giving a person a rose is not a bad gesture, but if you love someone then you should go up and just tell them straight,” said Dzulfayan. “The whole idea of Valentine’s Day is like Christmas. People think that if they give a person a present, then they love them; but it’s not like that. It’s not about the presents or the mushy chocolaty stuff,” said Dzulfayan. Valentine’s Day became popular during the Dark Ages. A friar by the name of Valentine began to marry couples secretly after Roman Emperor Claudius lI proclaimed able bodied men unable to marry because he believed that if they got married they would be more focused on their wives and children rather than the war. Valentine married many couples in secret and was eventually captured and questioned by Claudius himself. Valentine was eventually executed and, many years after his death, made a Saint by the Church. Legend has it that Valentine had the power to mend anything including a broken heart. Now, according to Dzulfayan, Valentine’s Day is just a holiday for card companies to make money. “It’s not all about the chocolates. Valentine’s Day should be about people who just love each other,” said Dzulfayan. Certain students prefer a romantic and out-of-the-ordinary way of showing that special someone that they truly have feelings for them. “I would break the stereotype by doing something outside the box,” said junior Mathew Diradoorrian. “I would give her something romantic. Like if we have been together for six months then I would give her six roses, one for each month we spent together.” Others, such as junior Yana Pashyan, believe that it can be discouraging and demeaning when others receive more roses than they do. According to Pashyan, when people receive an unequal amount of roses then that decreases people’s self-worth and feelings of inclusion. “I don’t like it when I’m sitting in class and there are people getting a dozen roses while others get none,” said Pashyan. “It makes the people who receive none lose self-respect.” Some students, such as junior Talin Babakhanyan, believe that giving roses to a friend, however kind the gesture, is pointless because they are just getting their friend’s hopes up. Likewise, “Giving roses to a friend really depends on the situation, but 95% of the time it’s useless,” said senior Martin Zakarian.