Every year on February 14, people all around the world share their love for each other by sending cards, flowers, and candy to their loved one. Many students fell in line with those traditions this Valentine’s Day.

  “I go on a date with my girlfriend, and eat candy,” senior Jonathan Plybon said.

  “I go to a friends house and eat a lot of food,” freshman Chloe Lux said.

  “Valentine’s Day isn’t that big of a deal to me, but this year my boyfriend Zack and I went out to dinner and watched a marathon of ‘The Office,’” senior Bridget Clarke said.

  Students also reflected on their best memories from past Valentine’s Days.

  “My favorite memory is probably when I was younger having little parties at school, but hopefully I’m going to make a new and better memory this Valentine’s Day when I take my girlfriend on a date,” Junior Chris Bozarth said.

  Junior Madison Grobe said she enjoyed “when we were little, making the Valentine’s boxes for school.”

  Many people celebrate Valentine’s Day, today, as a holiday and don’t even know the history of it.

  The word Valentine comes from the Latin word Valentinus, a proper name obtained from the word valens, meaning “to be strong,” as defined in Webster’s unabridged  dictionary. It truly means “strong, mighty, and powerful.”

  According to the article “St. Valentine” on catholic.org, the reason Valentine’s Day is a holiday is because a third-century Roman saint who is commonly associated with “courtly love.” St. Valentine was introduced to a judge’s blind daughter and told to restore her sight. If he succeeded, the judge vowed to do anything for Valentine. Placing his hands onto her eyes, Valentine restored the child’s vision. St. Valentine was later arrested again for continuing to try to convert people to Christianity.

  “The story tells that St. Valentine was imprisoned for marrying Christian couples and aiding Christians being persecuted by Claudius in Rome. Both acts were considered serious crimes. A relationship between the saint and emperor began to grow, until Valentine attempted to convince Claudius of Christianity. Claudius became enraged and sentenced Valentine to death, commanding him to renounce his faith or be beaten with clubs and beheaded. St. Valentine refused to renounce his faith and Christianity and was executed outside the Flaminian Gate on February 14, 269,” according to “St.Valentine” by catholic.org. According to the article, while St. Valentine was imprisoned, he healed the jailer’s blind daughter and, on the day of his execution, he left her a noted signed “Your Valentine.”