Tevin Arrington
Senior Writer
Valentine’s Day is coming up, and most people typically view the holiday as a day reserved specifically for couples to express their feelings of love for one another. Ideas of the day usually involve presenting loved ones with a bouquet of flowers, a box of chocolates and an extravagant night on the town with dinner and a feature film.
The W has quite a few faculty couples who all had an opinion when asked questions concerning Valentine’s Day. Their answers were interesting, due to the fact that many couples do not place a lot of emphasis on the holiday.
“I kind of see it as a fake holiday, in some ways — and so you feel compelled to do something just because everybody else is, but really you just don’t have a lot of time,” said Dr. Melissa Smith.
And much of Smith’s feelings about the day were echoed by other faculty members.
Dr. Kendall Dunkelberg and Dr. Kim Whitehead, who are both English professors, are not fond of crowded restaurants.
For them, Valentine’s Day is spent at home with their son. Although the day usually includes a nice homemade dinner and chocolates, not much fuss is made about it.
Of course, that is not the case for every couple. The Bunnells were one of the few couples that were able to remember how they celebrated this day in the past. Though interviewed separately, their answers were surprisingly in sync.
They were able to give a detailed description of their first Valentine’s Day as newlyweds. The holiday seemed to be a special time for both of them.
“So Todd is always very thoughtful, and he know that my favorite flower is a yellow rose, which is not always easy to find,” Dr. Gloria Bunnell said. “So one Valentine’s Day he managed to locate a dozen yellow roses for me, and that was a very special time in our relationship.”
People are accustomed to the idea that Valentine’s Day is a big event, but what the faculty couples here at the W prove is that the holiday doesn’t have to be a grand affair. What is most important is their love for one another.