Love is in the air and preparations for Valentine’s Day have begun. Romantic dates are being carefully crafted, local jewelry stores are making a nice chunk of change, and hopeful girls are getting ready to be swept off their feet by their superman. Except of course, for those who have do not have a valentine. These poor souls have deemed themselves “Forever Alone.”

“Forever Alone” is quickly becoming the title of the year, coined by the unbecoming meme and a household hashtag on Twitter. These tweets usually consist of a cynical sentence expressing bitterness towards their loneliness, like “#foreveralone on Valentine’s Day,” or “Guess who doesn’t have a date on Friday night… #foreveralone.”

Intended as a joke, the phrase has developed a bittersweet undertone. Far too many can closely relate, including teens of Bethel High School. Resentful oppositions to Valentine’s Day are actually quite ubiquitous at BHS this year. Elena Rinaldi, ’13 deems it “the most ridiculous holiday ever.”

Rinaldi is not alone in her stance. Kaylee Hauser, ’13 agrees: “It’s a cute holiday, but people take it too seriously.”

Nick Galbis ’13 looks at his “Forever Alone” status differently. He says that he is “alive and free,” and thus happy to be single.

Another comforting thought for those who relate so personally to the ugly meme: we are not truly “Forever Alone.” The majority of teens are surrounded by loyal friends and family, so the only way to become “forever alone” is to continuously complain about that current predicament of being single. A relationship would not necessarily improve the lives of many individuals!

So, Happy Valentine’s Day – even if you’re spending it at home with your cat.