My favorite days are when I get a text with possibly the most loaded phrase in a high schooler’s vocabulary: “I need to tell you something crazy at lunch.”

As I excitedly sit down with my friend and take their phone, they flusteredly preface that their crush “does not look like that in real life” or “their Schoology picture is terrible,” immediately minimizing my excitement.

From text chats to casual conversations in the school hallways, talking about crushes is often coupled with a sense of shame and a stream of assurances to justify one’s feelings. Contrary to the lovesick joy depicted in most romance movies, many high schoolers seem almost cynical about a subject that should be exciting.

Similar to how our generation feels the necessity to be seen as nonchalant, we often cannot show all our true affection for one another. Whether it is the adolescent tendency to reject commitment or a fear of exposing your truest self to the world, outward displays or proclamations of one’s affections for another are often seen as “cringe.”

There are numerous, wholly unreasonable things that teens have somehow been conditioned to value. Truthfully, there would not be much value to be seen in any of us if all of us students were judged solely based on our Schoology roster photos and Instagram profile pictures, but an emphasis on image has been imposed on many of us.

But, how could we let love, a feature that continues to survive the tribulations of natural selection, transcending insurmountable distances and breaking societal boundaries, suddenly be limited by the superficial societal standards of other teenagers?

While one’s physical appearance is an aspect to consider when building a relationship, it is not the foundation of one’s affection for another (and if it is, you might want to reevaluate your view on life). A relationship is neither made nor broken based on superficial reasons, whether they may stem from external or internal sources.

If you are fortunate enough to share a special bond with someone else this Valentine’s Day, embrace it without a need to dampen your feelings for others. After all, there is no justification for love.

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