Greetings, readers from the Fanshawe community and beyond. Thank you for picking up this year’s edition of the Valentine’s Day issue.

Personally speaking, I’m a bit of a Grinch for Valentine’s Day. An Ebenezer Scrooge, if you will allow. Humbug, says I, to this annual day of forced affection between couples, and forced feelings of isolation for everyone else. I’m not above binging on the next day’s discounted chocolate, but otherwise keep your idiot cupids and hearts and whatnot far away from me.

However, after taking a look at my contributor’s work for this issue, you should find, as I have, that the silver lining of this Hallmark holiday lies in the opportunity for all of us to examine ourselves and what we want out of our relationships.

The Fanshawe College and Here For You logos are shown. Two people are shown talking to one another. Text states, access respectful, flexible and personalized employment and job readiness readiness services.

Let’s all agree that there exists a fair bit of social pressure for us to be partnered-up by a certain point. Much of the media we consume, especially as we grow up, perpetuates the myth that we won’t be happy or fulfilled until we do.

But being tied down to another person isn’t necessarily the best thing, especially for those of us who are still figuring out our careers and life paths. Life moves fast, and things change significantly as we transition from our studies and into the workforce. While being single tends to get a bad rap, in reality it means being free to go with the flow on our own terms. This is a good thing, guys. Embrace it, and enjoy making choices as you go without worrying about their effect on other people.

Please enjoy our feature content exploring local date ideas, the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships, why breaking up is hard to do, and more. We go on hiatus for the upcoming study break, so keep tabs on our news coverage by following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

And so it goes,

Angela McInnes

Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.