As the 14th of February nears I become more like Squidward. I have never related more to a fictional character in my entire life. As a child, I always thought Squidward was just a grumpy guy for no reason but as I got older I understood why he was like that. The world forced him to be like that and as we near valentines day I’m slowly becoming like him, easily irritated and mainly always at home. Valentine’s day is supposed to be a happy day for lovers and those wishing to confess their love to someone but over time the sense of Valentine’s has become so twisted that if no one gives you anything or you don’t have a girlfriend/boyfriend you’re instantly discarded on that day as if you never existed.
It makes you feel left out and most of all makes you feel lonely which is a terrible combination and the sole purpose as to why I hate Valentine’s day and wish it never existed. The entire day makes one question why they aren’t loved romantically which leads to self-doubt and other major issues that could cause a person to hate themselves. Squidward is a simple man and I aspire to be like him in the sense of just wanting a simple life which he has, from having a regular job to having a good home.
But it seems no matter what he does there is always that one thing that ruins his plans. In this case, it so happens to be a very annoying yellow sea sponge and his starfish companion. On Valentine’s day the one thing that ruins everything is the couples shoving their love in your face as if to mock your loneliness and singleness.
Now I’m not saying that lovers can’t show PDA or love each other but they should be more mindful of what they’re doing in front of other people because some are seriously contemplating slapping you across the face because of your PDA, one of them being me. Valentine’s day is just a reminder for some of how lonely and sad their lives are, it’s an unnecessary date but I suppose it has its perks if you get given a gift that is.
At the end of the day, if you tell your crush you like them, there are only two ways it can go down; painful heartbreak or boosting the recipient’s ego which isn’t exactly a good thing either. If your crush likes you back well then you just hit the jackpot and most likely going to rub it in everyone’s face which is a natural reaction cause you want everyone to be happy for you.
Valentine’s Day is a day of reckoning as there are many mixed emotions towards this day. The real question is whether it should be allowed to exist considering it does more damage than good. Being in love is no crime and being more comfortable with your partner in public should be encouraged more as young people find love every single day but that does not mean they need to rub it in people’s faces.
It’s easier for people to adapt to Squidward’s behavior because the world is so dull and unwelcoming. Valentine’s day does nothing but sadden us further and ruin our day. I actually used to enjoy the day when I was younger because I considered myself pretty likable. However, after receiving nothing from anyone for years straight I came to have a lot of self-doubts.
I watched as most of my friends received ample amounts of gifts and flowers while I smiled through the pain and said “Wow I wonder who it could be from?”. A smile was so painful it lay permanent on my face even though all I wanted to do was scream in pain.
Valentine’s day ruined my self-image and now every time someone mentions the month I just wanna barf and sleep through the entire day as if it never existed. Because to me that day is nothing but pain and nuisance.
Having dealt with working in the food industry, I sympathize way more with Squidward.