"I hate Valentine's Day!" Lately, I've been hearing this phrase almost everywhere I go. And I've started noticing a trend. The cold-hearted, chocolate-treat-hating, Valentine naysayers making these remarks are usually not in a relationship and bitter about the prospect of being reminded of their singleness every February.

When I hear remarks from these single people, I can't help but wonder why anyone would hate such a wonderful holiday. Upon closer examination, however, I realize that they are completely justified in these feelings. The society we live in traditionally favors couples, and anyone not fitting this mold is portrayed as living a lonely life ... with many cats. For the majority of the population that fits outside of the mold of coupledom, Valentine's Day is a holiday in which they are not welcome to participate.

But Valentine's Day is supposed to be a celebration of love (and Hallmark). I see absolutely no reason why a single person can't feel welcomed in this festival of love (and Hallmarxism). Where exactly in the rulebook does it say that romantic love is the only valid form of love? The love between friends and family members should be celebrated as well, not cast into the fringes of society on Feb. 14. So how did this exclusive love fest come about?

The history of Valentine's Day is bizarre, and one that is not necessarily rooted in romantic love. Valentine's Day, like so many other holidays celebrated in Western cultures, started out as an ancient tradition. According to History.com, some of the earliest roots of Valentine's Day date back to ancient Rome, when single women were slapped in the streets with blood-soaked animal skins. As disgusting as this may seem, the single women being slapped welcomed the practice, as it was thought to bring fertility in the coming year. How romantic.

Another alleged early form of the holiday began around the fourth century B.C., when Romans began holding a yearly partner lottery. Every young and unmarried woman in a town would have her name placed into an urn. Each eligible bachelor in the town would then draw a name from this urn, and would be stuck — er, coupled — with this person for a year, until the next drawing could be held.

This practice of a romantic lottery occurred for several centuries before the early Christians began believing that the lotteries were sacrilegious, and stopped them immediately. In the 5th century A.D., the pagan holiday was turned into "St. Valentine's Day" in an effort to make the holiday, and its pagan followers, conform to Christian standards.

St. Valentine, the man of honor himself, is also a figure shrouded in mystery. Apparently, the Catholic Church has canonized several St. Valentines in its history, all of whom I might add were probably single and led relatively unromantic lives.

Nobody can quite agree on how early forms of Valentine's Day evolved into the romance hysteria that it is today. But however it happened, one thing is for sure — Valentine's Day has seemed to put a sign on its door saying "Couples only, no singles allowed." Single people of the world, it's time to break down the door and claim the delicious heart-shaped chocolates that are rightfully yours!

Every year, couples celebrating Valentine's Day spend hours stressing about where to make reservations for dinner, what to buy each other and how to spend a cliché and society-mandated romantic evening together. Planning such an evening can be so stressful, boring and just downright ridiculous that sometimes, it just pays to be single.

Luckily for single Seattleites, Valentine's Day brings a variety of fun and cheap events where dates are not required but having a fantastic time is. So to every person dreading Valentine's Day on this campus, here is a brief list of things to do on the 14th to have a better time than most of your coupled friends.

Sweet Octopus Lovin'

A group of Seattle Aquarium biologists are setting up a blind date for two of their giant Pacific octopi. All you have to bring is yourself, and the aquarium will provide the romantic music, roses and awkward hilarity that will ensue.

Singing Shakespeare

If an awkward afternoon at the aquarium isn't your thing, head over to the Bellevue Regional Library for a free preview of the Seattle Opera's rendition of Handel's "Julius Caesar." Nothing will take your mind off of romance like an operatic rendition of a Shakespearian tragedy.

Laugh Lovers Ball

At this comedy blowout, The Moore Theater will be hosting Reggie Watts, David Crowe and The Cody Rivers Show, just to name a few. Dates are not required, but a good sense of humor is strongly advised.

Whatever you do this Valentine's Day, try to celebrate love in all of its many forms. Take the time to love life, to tell your friends how much you love them, or to learn to love yourself. The gift of love, in any form, is one of the best gifts of all. Not to mention less expensive, less cliché and less fattening than those delicious heart-shaped chocolates.

Reach columnist Sara Wilson at opinion@thedaily.washington.edu.