Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012, February 11, 2004, Section B, Page 6B, Image 18

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    Students learn from Valentine's Day mistakes
Valentine's Day disasters
taught several University
students what not to do
By Aron Glatzer
Freelance Reporter
Many memorable events will unfold
Feb. 14, and at the University those
events are shaped by many different
types of personalities.
Sophomore Kit Seely said a key to
the holiday is learning which ideas to
implement in the future and which to
never do again.
Spending money can be a major part
ofValentine's Day.
"Get ready to grab the checkbook,"
junior Mike Walker said. "It's time to
pull out all the stops."
A romantic meal is a good expendi
ture that sets the mood for a evening,
senior Shane Morrison said.
"A Valentine's Day dinner does not
consist of a Big Mac and fries; it con
sists of a Big Mac and super-sized
fries," he said.
Often it is the bad experiences that
teach the most memorable lessons
about love. Breaking up with a
boyfriend or girlfriend on Valentine's
Day doesn't bode well for friendship in
the future, senior Amy Samuel said.
"I dumped my sixth-grade
boyfriend, and he still won't talk to me
to this very day," Samuel said.
Junior Jason Kranz has a different
view of Valentine's Day relationships.
"Dumping a girl the day before
Valentine's Day has saved me some se
rious guilt and cash," he said.
Gift mistakes can also min the day.
University alumna Jen Knoop said buy
ing a teddy bear for a girl may have
worked in fourth grade but is consid
ered tacky now.
"No teddy bears, I have six, " Knoop
said. "Eveiy guy thinks it's all about the
bears; it's not"
Junior Laurie Craft said certain gifts
should be tailored.
"Buying your significant other an
engraved flask can be fun, just not a
fifth of rum to go with it" Craft said.
"I did both, and it didn't work out as
well as planned."
Mistakes can occur in the gift-giving
process as well, University alumna
Gretchen Keeblersaid.
"One guy sent me flowers and a let
ter that reached Chi Omega instead of
Alpha Chi Omega," Keebler said. "To
make matters worse, another Gretchen
lived in Chi Omega at the time and re
ceived my gift before I did."
Seely said couples should not ex
pect the holiday itself to make rela
tionship problems disappear.
"My ex-boyfriend decorated my en
tire desk with flowers, candy and a card
inside," she said. "However; flowers can't
cover a card stating that it took kissing
two girls I didn't know about for him to
realize how much he cares for me"
Aron Glatzer is a freelance reporter
for the Emerald.
Day serves as reminder to build
relationships all year
Valentine s Day cues people
to appreciate those closest
By Evan Cael
Freelance Reporter
Feb. 14 is not only a day for ro
mantic crooners and committed cou
ples to prove their love. It can also
serve as a reminder to everyone of the
importance of all relationships.
And if cupid has neglected his du
ties recently, worry not. Simply look
around at fulfilling relationships of
all kinds.
"They provide stability, emotional
support, meaning, richness and vitali
ty to my life," senior Misha Popenuk
said. "In the grand scheme, everything
is meaningless except for friendship."
Popenuk added that interpersonal
relationships enable a person to tran
scend the physical world and tap di
rectly into the constant current that is
flowing deep within all people.
Sophomore Jamie Yarbrough holds
her relationships in the highest
esteem and understands the impact
they all have on her.
"Every person you meet has an in
fluence on your life, and the rela
tionships you develop help mold
you into the person that you be
come," she said.
Senior Maureen Sander acknowl
edges the importance of showing
Eugene’s finest
fresh flowers and
exceptional
gifts.
Featuring our
exclusive heart vases
and a new rose called
“Wild One" imported
from Columbia.
Get a delightful
bouquet for $ 15
with a gift certificate
Day Spa & Salon
Candy & Cards
Art & Frames
appreciation to her friends in small
ways she said matter most.
"Giving someone a big old hug is
something fun to do," Sander said.
Carli Morgenstein, a journalism
major, said she loves doing sponta
neous acts to let her friends know
how important they are to her.
"Some days I will buy a bunch of
sunflowers and pass them out
throughout the day to all my friends,"
she said. "Or once my friend was sad
so I got him a little teddy bear to
make him smile."
Evan Cael is a freelance reporter
for the Emerald.
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