Valentine's Day, By Age

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February 3, 2015 7 PM by Noelle Devoe

When you're a kid, Valentine's Day is supes fun because it's all about candy and paper hearts, but then you grow up and getting a Valentine from your mom or dad just
doesn't cut it anymore. And when did those dumb messages on candy hearts suddenly start to mean so much? From decorating paper hearts to analyzing the real meaning of that candy heart your crush just gave you, here's how V-day changes from preschool to college.

Preschool

At school, your teacher lets you do arts and crafts ALL DAY and make cards in the shape of hearts and bears for all your best, best friends. You make cards for your mom and dad, too, because they're your Valentines, obvs.

Elementary School

The fact that your teacher is forcing you to give everyone in your class a Valentine's Day card is seriously not okay. You don't want Billie (who you do NOT like) to think you have a crush on him. Because EWWWW. Cooties.



Middle School

So, you and Billie still hate each other's guts and everything, but you still freak out when he asks you to go to the Valentine's Day dance with him (because he actually is really funny and maybe a little cute... Not that you like him, or anything). But what does this mean? Does he maybe like you? Do you have to kiss him at the end of the night or something? Oh god... you've never kissed anyone before. And you definitely don't want to kiss Billie... at least you don't think you do. FALSE ALARM. When you get to the dance, you both just go hang out with your friends,  and you and Billie barely say a word to each other all night. Crisis averted.

Freshman Year of High School

So all your friends got together and decided that it was time to get boyfriends before Valentine's Day without telling you, and now you feel like a total loser. All of them are being next-level annoying with all their Valentine's decorations and plans. And as if it could get any worse, they all got secret carnations from their BFs in homeroom, and you got one from your BFF... because she felt bad. Totally not cool.



Sophomore Year of High School

You were determined to find a date to the Valentine's Day dance this year, even if meant going with your friend's boyfriend's annoying friend. Anything to not be forever alone on Valentine's day again. But now you wish you had just stayed home and watched The Notebook for the billionth time, because your date is being SUPES awkward and you have no clue what to talk about.



Junior Year of High School

FINALLY. You've been dating Todd for, like, three weeks, which means you have a boyfriend on Valentine's Day! You deck out your locker with super cute Valentine's Day wrapping paper and draw hearts on everything, because you have a date on Valentine's day and everything is right in the world! Todd gives you the cutest teddy bear at school and he's taking you out to this really nice restaurant tonight, and you seriously can't concentrate on anything your teacher is saying because you're way too excited.



Senior Year of High School

So you're still dating Todd, but you're kind of over him and have been meaning to call things off for a while, which makes the fact that you have to spend Valentine's Day with him totes awkward. But you can't dump him right before Valentine's Day—that's like the meanest thing ever, right? Ugh. But you really want to. All your besties are single this year, and they're all going to this college party that Amy's older brother's friends are throwing, and you're stuck watching a movie in Todd's basement because he wanted to keep things low key this year. And the worst part? Todd gives you a teddy bear holding a heart. Again.



Freshman Year Of College

OMG college is so much fun! Every holiday, no matter how small, is an excuse to get dressed up and go out with your friends. You don't even care that you're single on Valentine's Day. There are all these fun V-day parties and all your friends are single too, so you'r