Chocolates, roses and teddy bears may not work this Valentine’s Day. The mask alone may get in the way of couples’ sweet holiday. A date is the traditional way to celebrate the day of love.

“Past Valentine’s Days have been much bigger,” senior Janette Moncayo said. “I’d probably have my partner over for dinner and a movie night, but right now we can’t risk anything.”

Precautions are ever in mind.

“Going out to a friend’s house and having a party is not [safe] as it becomes a place for COVID-19 to transmit easily,” Moncayo said. “Keeping the celebration to a minimum is important.”

An extravagant date isn’t a requisition to having a good time.

“Considering our situation with the pandemic and all, I thought it would be better to do something simple instead,” senior Galilea De La O said. “More than likely I will go over to my boyfriend’s house for a gift exchange and dinner.”

The celebration can come with fun ways to get creative.

“Dropping gifts off at your friend’s or partner’s house is a safe way to give. Mailing a letter [about] how much you love and appreciate them is even sweeter,” De La O said.

Other ways of celebrating can include a virtual hangout.

“Disney Plus has a group watch where you can watch movies at the same time as the other person,” De La O said. “It’s like going to the movies.”

The most important tip to a safe Valentine’s Day: make sure the virus isn’t there in the first place.
“Test for COVID-19 before hanging out with your date and always wear your mask out in public,” senior Vianey Marrufo said.

It all comes down to spending Valentine’s Day with the right person by your side.

“Even if we can’t do a lot of things, [the day] will still be special,” sophomore Ronaldo Valles said. “It’s not about going somewhere nice, it’s more about being able to spend time together and having a good time.”