As the snow begins to melt and the sun starts to appear earlier and stay up later, Grier hosts their annual Galentine’s Day on February 13th. All students gather on campus to celebrate a time meant to build community.
This year, students first gathered in the auditorium to watch Grier TV before heading to class meetings. Once the regularly scheduled assemblies were finished, students had the day to check out different activity offerings around campus.
In the auditorium, there were Valentine’s Day bags for each student and craft tables around for students to make valentines for their friends. In the gym, there were manicures, scalp massages, and games offered. The STEM Club had DNA bracelet making in 1853, while the annual middle school bake sale happened in the lower part of the dining hall. There was also an open mic event, Aces & Aros party, and brownie making event for students to participate in.
Many students found the bake sale to be the highlight of their day. A long line stretched from the lower part of the dining hall to the patio entrance to the dining hall. An Truong, ‘28, was ecstatic to have been first in line at the bake sale. Truong was not the only person excited about the bake sale and everyone had their favorites to choose from. “Low key, it’s got to be those, like, salted caramel cheesecake cookies [that were my favorite],” said senior Sydney Smith. “Whoever made those, props to the chef.”
While these activities were offered, students also had the opportunity to choose their own schedule for the day. Truong had spent most of her Galentine’s Day painting banners for the Valentine’s Day dance that happened on Saturday. “It was wholesome. I hung out with my roommate, Haley, all day,” Truong said.
For some students, Galentine’s Day brings their own little traditions. Smith described Valentine’s Day being a day of annual habits. “My favorite part was just spending time with my friends all dressed up in pink, and I have these little earrings that have a picture of an eye, and then it has a real picture of a heart,” Smith said.
Many students enjoyed the childlike aspect of the day, particularly making and sending valentine’s cards in the auditorium. Students were able to write notes to each other and could buy lollipops from the NHS Fundraiser to put in their friends’ bags as an added bonus. “I think that it was a really nice way of adding in the elementary aspect of Valentine’s, like what we used to do when we were younger,” Smith said.
This year’s Galentine’s Day was a lovely event for students to take a deserved break from school. Quality time with friends holds a massive importance in life, and that’s exactly what Grier’s Galentine’s Day provided for students.
