{shortcode-3a395af85f85c9640f5690d5fca9aa6e6603601b}Valentine’s Day is one of those polarizing things that you either love or hate, and for good reason. Hear from two writers who give you their hot takes on this holiday.

Hate It: It’s all a corporate ruse — Maya S. Bhagat

Beyond all the Cupid fluff, we need to take a look at the darker side of the holiday that claims to celebrate true love. So-called Valentine’s Day gifts entail playing the fruitless exercise of the giver trying to guess exactly what their special someone wants, and the said soulmate has to feign delight over the gift even if they hate it with every fiber of their being. Since true love is usually mutual, each relationship has to endure all this stress twice.

Valentine’s Day is a $14 billion industry, a corporate construct to make us feel like we should have already partaken in cuffing season and have something to show for it. And if not, we need to retreat into the deep recesses of our rooms lest we be reminded that another year has passed and we have failed to find someone.

I would continue my argument against Valentine’s Day in a similar vein, except if I do so, I risk fulfilling that rom-com stereotype of the cynical-but-actually-lovelorn character whose true love is rounding the corner in the course of the nonexistent plot. Let’s face it: Valentine’s Day is a story we tell ourselves to explain away our hunger for affection. And as uber-competitive college students whose environment already favors deteriorating mental health, do we really need another opportunity to pretend that everything’s rosy?

Sure, some people are in healthy relationships or genuinely enjoy the holiday. It’s also the time of the year when it’s socially acceptable to shoot your shot with minimal embarrassment. But maybe Valentine’s Day is just supposed to be the time of the year to step back and ponder our very philosophies of love…

Love It: Let us love the day of love — Peyton A. Jones

Right up there with HUDS and country music, everyone loves to hate Valentine’s Day. The same old tirade about the holiday being a capitalist scam is trotted out every February like clockwork, both by singles and people in relationships. But I have to ask, why does a holiday about love attract so much hate?

Sure, Valentine’s Day might be a reminder that you spend more time in Lamont than on dates, but it doesn’t have to be a bummer. Instead of using your Facebook stalking skills to keep tabs on what your ex’s plans are for Cupid Day, find some fun events to treat yourself or some friends to a sweet holiday outing, like a trip to the Museum of Science Planetarium for a Valentine’s Day Drag King Show or to L.A. Burdick’s for some truly decadent hot chocolate. You can even make the holiday fun without stepping foot outside — challenge your other single friends to a competition to see who can get the most Tinder matches in one night.

Valentine’s Day is the gift that keeps on giving — hit up the Harvard Square CVS the day after for some discount candy. V-Day may be a capitalist scheme, but that doesn’t mean you can’t reap the benefits.

Let the haters hate, but this Thursday, use the most ~wholesome~holiday of the year to love yourself and your friends.