Where do you land on these controversial Valentine's Day opinions?

Whenever February approaches, people are divided into two sides. In one camp are the eternal believers for Valentine’s Day — they plan their dinner reservations months in advance and shower their significant others with gifts. In the other are the nonbelievers — they claim that Valentine’s Day is nothing but a commercialized scam.

Whether you like Valentine’s Day or not, there are certainly some controversial opinions about the love holiday out there: worst chocolates, to buy or not to buy cards or anything your heart may absolutely despise about the holiday. Here are some of my most controversial opinions about the holiday of love.

Valentine’s Day is too expensive

From flowers to cards to fancy dinner plans, all the hidden costs and fees to display your love can add up. Valentine’s Day dinner actually averages to cost approximately $170, which isn't cheap, according to one report.

Many significant others buy their partner additional gifts along with a dinner, which, again, can range from a small teddy bear to a diamond necklace. People are expected to spend somewhere in the hundreds of dollars on their partner, which is disheartening for people in a difficult financial situation.

Your ability to spend money shouldn't speak to how much you love your partner.

Chocolate on Valentine’s Day is overrated

Despite being in a relationship, I much prefer candy after Valentine’s Day because it’s cheaper. It’s the same satisfaction as buying cheaper candy the day after Halloween.

The candy is the exact same, it’s just past its designated day. Why pay more for the same product when you could celebrate a cheaper Valentine’s Day with your loved one a day later?

Candy hearts taste awful but can be cute

This is coming from someone who's super picky with their candy, but I personally think candy hearts taste like chalk. Eating them is never a pleasant experience, and you always finish candy hearts wishing you had some other, better candy.

But as a cute Valentine’s Day gift, they are acceptable. If you’re trying to find a somewhat cheesy way to tell that special someone you have a thing for them, candy hearts can be a good way to do that. But if you’re getting someone candy hearts for the taste, I’d reconsider.

The origins of the holiday are pretty dark

Valentine’s Day being for lovers was thought to originate from the Geoffrey Chaucer poem "Parliament of Fowls." After Chaucer wrote this poem, people supposedly started sending poems and letters to their loved ones on this day.

But on February 14th in the third century, Valentine’s Day was marked by the execution of two men named Valentine (two separate occasions). The Catholic Church commemorated them as martyrs and thus celebrated St. Valentine’s Day. Knowing this, it does put a bit of a damper on celebrating love and romance on a day significant for its executions.

The Valentine’s Day cards from elementary school should be brought back!

This isn’t necessarily a controversial opinion, but I loved receiving the cheesy cards from friends with a lollipop or Snickers bar when I was younger. I wish the tradition stuck through adulthood. While I didn’t have many friends who liked to celebrate the holiday as I got older, those cards would be the highlight of my day growing up.

Valentine’s Day can be extremely stressful

It’s a holiday that thrives off of comparison, and for some couples, the pressure to be the best couple can make the holiday more stressful than loving. The stakes can be high for Valentine’s Day, and if people don’t deliver, it could put more expectations on an already strained relationship.

Why does someone need to prove their everlasting love and commitment through gifts, a fancy dinner and chocolate? Displays of affection are different for everyone, but is it worth the potential stress the holiday may bring?

Is Valentine’s Day really about love?

That’s a question that’s been asked more times than I can count. On one hand, it’s a special day when people can celebrate their loved ones. But the constant stream of marketing to declare your love in the most materialistic way possible can get tiring.

Why choose this specific day to celebrate your partner? Is February 14 really that special, or is it just another cash grab to trick people into spending an exorbitant amount of money?

Even if you don't celebrate it, Valentine’s Day is still one of the more polarizing holidays. There are plenty of things to do on campus, so enjoy the holiday whichever way you please: with your partner, friends or taking yourself out on a solo date.