Hello, thank you for your continued readership of The Patriot. Our staff has worked diligently to collaborate on giving you a paper that serves our readers best We are excited to present to you our second issue of the semester, The Patriot’s guide to Valentine’s Day.
Whether you’re a fighter or a lover, there’s something in this issue everyone can enjoy Included are cutout valentines, a festive playlist and tons of creative gift ideas for the significant other in your life, and much more This Valentine’s Day remember what’s most important is showing the people most important to you how much you care. Whether they’re your significant other, parents, siblings, friends, coworkers or suitemates; let them know you value them
In addition to the work we’ve put into this issue, I’m proud to announce this past January at the Kentucky Press Award Association banquet, our staff brought home two awards Congratulations to our assistant editor, Jillian Carpenter for winning an award in the category of Best Headline and former editor-in-chief, Timothy Wyatt for winning an award in the category of Best Sports Column. I’m excited to see how our paper will further revolutionize both its design and content
Not only do we hope to widen our readers and volunteer rate through print, this spring we are looking into becoming more active in our online presence. We’ve posted both a Valentine’s Day music playlist as well as an anti-Valentine’s playlist on our YouTube channel. We look forward to posting more on our channel this semester, in addition to relaunching our website in March. All of this past year ’s articles will be archived and available to share via social media We hope these additions will even broaden our reach Thank you for your support and enjoy.
Sincerely,
Natasha Jones Editor-in-Chief
8 The Patriot is the biweekly student publication of the University of
Cumberlands Our goal is to provide timely and original content by highlighting campus news and views
Award-winning member of the Kentucky Press Association
Beaus, Baes, and
The Legend of St. Valentine
BY T R EN T ON CA N A DA AssistantEditor
Between the exchanges of flowers and mushy cards that take place every year on February 14, have you ever stopped to wonder how the day originated? Just what is Valentine’s Day? The answer may surprise you
Few people know that the origins of this day- a day of candy and kissesare actually bloody and brutal. Yes, the story of Valentine’s Day starts with a man named Valentine and a beheading Well, a couple of beheadings, actually.
The holiday is named after a patron saint of the Catholic Church, but historians dispute as to which saint gets the credit for this day Historically, there were several men named Valentine who were martyred on February 14 by the Roman Emperor Claudius II around the same time, circa A.D. 270
Because the history is vague, there are many legends surrounding the figure of St. Valentine. Some historians, according to History.com, will argue that Valentine was a priest, beheaded because of his Christian faith
Another story tells of how Claudius II outlawed marriage across the Roman Empire because he thought it would strengthen his army. He felt that marriage made men weaker, that they would refuse to fight for him because their hearts were at home with their wives. Appalled by this and grounded in his faith for love, St. Valentine began performing illegal marriages Soon after, the emperor was notified, and Valentine was arrested
Legend goes on to say that while Valentine was in jail awaiting his execution, he prayed for the jailer ’s daughter, who had been blind all her life, and she received her sight It’s said that the night before his execution, he sent a letter to the jailer ’s daughter, ending with the words, “From your Valentine.”
By any account, it seems that whoever St Valentine was, he was frim in his beliefs and stood against the Roman authority. Though the true origins of Valentine’s Day are mysterious, one thing remains clear. The history of this day on which we celebrate our sweethearts is rooted in the love of a saint. No, not our love for the saint, but the love he had for his beliefs and others.
Valentine’s Day : a co llege budg et’s nightmare
BY J I L L I A N CA R PEN T ER
AssisstantEditor
Valentine's Day is quickly skipping around the corner You used to think that it was unfortunate that you had to spend this holiday full of romance and cheesy presents alone. Now, after finding yourself in the same love boat as all the other couples out there, you're wondering why you wanted to go through the stress of finding the perfect gift or gesture to present to give to your favorite person. Add being a broke college student to the mix, and you've got a huge problem. Don't worry; there are plenty of ideas that you can follow or you can start out with to make your own personalized gift for your significant other that doesn't spend all the money you don't have.
Plan a day together It doesn't have to be a huge, romantic gesture At the very least, Valentine's Day should be the day you and your significant other get to be with each other as much as possible. It will make both of you feel appreciated, and both of you will feel more than happy to get so much time together. Things such as picnics or simply exploring a new town are cheap and a lot of fun!
Write something sweet on something that belongs to them If you can manage to sneak a notebook, a commonly read book, or something of the like away from them, take that chance to write something sweet in it and replace it without them knowing The next time they open the object you
snuck away, they'll be in for a really adorable surprise! You can also leave similar notes in something or several things that belong to them. Write short notes and leave them places like in their car, in their notebook, in a jacket pocket Depending on how well you hide these notes, they might even keep finding them for months to come, and they'll get to be reminded again and again how much you care about them. There are plenty of ideas that you can use to make this personal. You can buy a deck of playing cards, write something on each of them, and either hide those or give them to the person all at once. Playing cards are durable and are useful if the person wants to keep them for a long time.
Valentine's Day is about showing someone that you care about them Luckily, creativity is a better show of affection than money ever will be. So, put down the wallet, pick up your imagination, and use these simple tips to make a gift that the person you care about will really appreciate!
Buying fo r the boys
What to get your boyfriend this Valentine’s Day
BY SH YA N N NOR R IS
StaffWriter
Year after year there are millions of girls around the world trying to rack their brain around what to get a guy for Valentine's Day. It's a common question and most girls have no ideas whatsoever for what a guy could want for a rather romantic, girly "holiday " Most often, us girls feel like our boyfriends always spoil us on this day and that we kind of shortchange them because choosing a gift or something lovey dovey can be extremely hard. However, we girls want to get something heartfelt and sweet for the guy in our lives without taking it too far I can remember in past years (and even now) texting every friend I have asking what I should get my boyfriend. In all honesty, if they truly care for you and love you, anything you pick out and get them as a gift, they will absolutely adore! And now the time approaches when every girlfriend starts preparing to be stressed to the max on something that should be so simple (not to mention being questioned by your boyfriend why this is so hard for you) and texting all their best friends for advice to have the best Valentine’s Day gift ever for their special someone.
In past years, I have seen some very cute, reasonable, and even price savvy gifts that could be great for your boyfriend. I find most of my ideas from Pinterest and add my own special touch to it. Last year, I decided to get my boyfriend a plethora of things and attach a related quote or saying to every item and include them all in one basket. These things were just little items I knew he liked or enjoyed and some of his favorite candy I labeled this his "favorite things" basket. Some things I included were his favorite car air fresheners with a quote saying, "you're fresh boy" and his favorite gum saying "I chews you." I included many other
things but my favorite was a basketball that I had personally hand written on and it said, "You make my heart bounce." He played basketball at the time and I found this gift perfect for him! The gift choices really all depend on your boyfriend's favorite things and making him feel special and loved Some gift options that you may find fitting for this Valentine’s Day could be anything from a candy card to a cheap day jar. Here is a list that you may find useful for the guy in your life.
1 A candy card- Bring your fun loving and freespirited side out! Simply buy a poster board and create a story using words from his favorite candy bars or sweet treats
2. A "favorite thing" basket- As mentioned above, fill a basket with everything he likes from car supplies or tools to candy and drinks. He is guaranteed to love this. Add cute puns to make it sweeter
3. Picture and picture frame- A picture is worth a thousand words (especially one of you, right?). Buy a cute picture frame and frame one of your favorite photos together for him to look at daily. Etsy.com has some cute shotgun shell frames for your hunter boyfriend.
4. "Open when" letters- Write him sweet letters to open when times get rough or when he needs encouragement or needs a laugh Specify on the front of each letter what it is designated to. Add some color and cute doodles to make it more special.
5. 52 reasons why I love you- Grab you a deck of cards and get to writing! Write a simple reason of why you love him on each of the 52 cards. When you are done, hole punch them and tie them together like a book. He will always know how much he is loved
6. Candy bouquet- Aka a guy’s bouquet Get four
boxes of candy (the kind you can get for $1 usually in the middle of Wal-Mart) make a square out of them and put a foam cube in the middle stick all kinds of suckers in the middle or anything that can stand up on a stick.
7 Cheap date jar- Fill a mason jar up with date ideas. It is like that gift that keeps on giving Have him close his eyes and pick a “cheap date” out of the jar and that is what you do that night. The time together will mean more to you than anything!
8. Personalized wallet card- You can write out a short letter to your boy and have it engraved into a credit card size piece of metal that he can always carry with him in his wallet. Etsy.com has so many choices!
9. Care package (for long-distance relationships)This is for those long-distance relationships when you can’t be together for every special day. Send him a
care package or survival kit. Once again, attach cute sayings to each item. You can label it “How to survive being away from each other ”
10. Kiss-a-gram (for long-distance relationships)Who doesn’t love cheesy right? Put your red lipstick on and get to kissing! Kiss little pieces of paper and enclose them in an envelope Nothing but kisses and send them to him! He will find it extra sweet and have a good laugh over it too!
This year, make the gift for your boyfriend something special from the heart. Depending on how much you have set aside to spend you can add any item of clothing, shoes, concert tickets, movie tickets, a tool set, or whatever else you think he may like along with a nice homemade, from the heart gift. Not to mention, all guys love candy! Especially candy from you.
So far away
Advice about long-distance relationships
BY AU T U M N CO ON E Y Staff Writer
Distance is something that you will be associated with throughout different times in your college experience. Whether it’s you yourself, your roommate, your teammate or your friend, you will become aware of distance in one shape or form. There’s the distance from home, distance from things familiar, distance from possessions, and the most affecting is distance from loved ones. With Valentine’s Day around the corner, I wanted to touch a topic that not a lot of people thing about when talking about relationships, distance and love The majority of people you talk about in a day’s time probably are in a relationship with someone either at the campus or close by You hardly ever think about those who have significant others miles away. Long-distance relationships are not usually as common but they are becoming more common especially in college environments. After talking to 50 students (both male and female) I discovered that 38 of them were in relationships, and of that 38 there were 25 that are currently in long-distance relationships. I know
that’s only a small group within our student body, but it proves my point; there are growing numbers of individuals in long-distance relationships. I myself being one of them. Long distance relationships are definitely difficult, that’s usually the first thing you’ll hear from someone in a longdistance relationship But they truly are difficult, and they truly won’t survive unless you have the two factors: Trust and Communication In any relationship you rely and flourish on trust, it’s the building block of your relationship In a metaphorical sense, imagine you’re standing in the middle of an interstate while your significant other is safely on the other side. In a relationship you should be able to trust that your partner will do all that they can to get you to safety, ignoring the intensity of that metaphor, the message is still, ”If you don’t have trust you truly have nothing. “
In a relationship where you see your significant other all the time communication is still important, because if you never communicate you’ll never get to know the person you’re holding
- Free time.
- Appreciation for your relationship.
- More to talk about when you’re together.
- Less distractions from responsibilities
- If it doesn’t work out you don’t have the fear of seeing them on campus.
- You learn more about your significant other through all the communication.
Cons of a Long-Distance Relationship
- Pressure to make sure time spent together is a must when your home.
- The constant avoiding of disagreements.
hands with or truly understand them.
But in a long-distance relationship communication is everything And I cannot stress that enough. Because in a long-distance relationship it’s all you have When you’re mad at each other or sad you can’t just hug and make-up; you’re too far away to do that. So you have to do the one thing that couples even married for forty years might despise, you have to talk through it. Trust me it only makes your relationship all the more stronger and all the more meaningful. Long-distance relationships are extremely difficult but they are possible and can be successful But with everything there are pros and cons. Throughout my conversations with individuals in long-distance relationships we created a list together of the pros and cons of a long-distance relationship
Pros of a Long-Distance Relationship
- Technology is extremely advanced for communication.
- Appreciate the separation in order to focus on school and on each other when together.
- When separated again, you feel let down or sad to return to your everyday lifestyle.
- Sometimes the distance is too much.
- Feeling lonely
- Feeling left out in events that have a lot of couples.
“Oceans apart, day after day and I slowly go insane, I hear your voice on the line but it doesn’t stop the pain. I see you next to never, how can we say forever,” is a line created by Richard Marx, a songwriter who discusses long-distance relationships states it in a beautiful poetic fashion
Yes, there are days that you might go insane. And yes, you might be miles apart But if you truly care about your significant other you will make it work day after day. Because yes, it is difficult, but at the end of the day it is worth it. So on this Valentine’s Day share it with ones dear to your heart, and if you’re in a long-distance relationship be sure to tell your significant other how much you appreciate them.
But if you truly care about someone you tell them every day of the year. Because Valentine’s Day is simply just one day out of the year
BY LY DI A JA Y StaffWriter
The many perks of being single
Valentine’s Day is coming up, and it is the time where almost everyone takes time to celebrate love Especially those who have a significant other. You may think to yourself, “Okay; I don’t have a significant other therefore, something must be wrong with me, and to be able to celebrate Valentine’s Day, the holiday in which everyone celebrates love, you should be in a relationship.” You may think that if you are not in a relationship you are not prone or likely to be happy. Because the single life does not serve as a happy time in one’s life At least this is what we allow others and ourselves to let us think; and most of us believe it.
Well, I hate to burst your bubble, but whoever has told you that, is wrong And honestly just like being in a relationship has its perks, so does living the single life. With that being said there is absolutely nothing wrong with being single. And you can be happy and content in your time of singleness if you choose to be Even though Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, it can make living the single life a little rougher but only if you let it. To avoid letting yourself feel negative about being single on Valentine’s Day, or any day for that matter; choose to look at this season of your life as a single person as a blessing in disguise with many perks.
I know you are thinking, “How can being single at time in my life be a blessing?” Well, in all honesty, it’s quite simple When you turn the thoughts of being single as a curse and look at this time as a blessing, the more you are able to see what you need to. You’ll be able to enjoy the season in your life of singleness In the season of singleness you are not dating, engaged, and or married to anyone but yourself, and in my case, my God as well. Therefore, you have the option to focus solely on yourself and again, in my case, my Father And to take time out just for your relationship with yourself and Him and to enjoy yourself while
doing so. While you are focusing on yourself and God, you are choosing to trust in your heavenly Father to take care of you and to begin to work in and on you in all aspects of your life.
In Jeramiah 29:11 it says, ”For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord plans for your welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and hope.’’ You are allowing yourself to go through what I like to call a preparation period, where there is work to be done but fun to be had A preparation in which you are being working on yourself to become a better you to get yourself to where you are meant to be at that time in your life. To enjoy getting to know and grow close with oneself and your creator To wait on His timing for you to be in a relationship or anything else. In Song of Solomon 3:5 it says, “I adjure you, ole daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or the does of the fields, that you do not stir up or awaken love until it pleases ”
Preparing yourself is not to perfect yourself because we will never be perfect. Instead it’s to ready yourself of what is to come. And to be able to function and know what you need to not just to be in a relationship but in the next season of your life and all other areas in which your life entails. No matter how you decide to make use of the single period in your life, choose to look at is a blessing in the making of even more blessing to come
G od’ s Love Ab ove All
BY LY DI A JA Y StaffWriter
A devotional
This Valentine’s Day we keep in mind those we love, whether it be family, friends, or someone we are currently in a relationship with Of all the individuals’ love in which we consider around this holiday, of the people that we find so dear to our hearts, let us not forget the love of God. Nothing or no one can separate us from the unfailing and everlasting love of God, our creator Just like in the movies; where we see the lovesick man persistently chasing or standing beside the beautiful woman often in pressing circumstances. For example: catching the plane at last minute, flagging down her speeding taxi as she escapes, or holding her hand beside her death bed, God pursues us all the same, He is lovesick over us, constantly chasing us in ways we could often never imagine His love is a love in which nothing or no one can come between or hinder , despite effort. Troubles and circumstances in life can hinder our earthly relationships with those we love but are no match for the kind of love God has to offer No relationship is perfect yet even in the midst of an event causing great and often sudden damage or distress; a disaster, God can love us still. In life we can find ourselves surprised by certain turn of events, good or bad, but nothing is of surprise to God because he is constant, just as his love is When specifically negative life circumstances hit; God’s love doesn’t run and hide, it does not quit nor give up (as some of our exes have in the past) but it is steadfast, standing firm, immovable, unshakeable
God shall not leave nor forsake us when danger, pain, or disappointment knocks at our door When these life tragedies happen, people we love may look at us and our problem and assume that we are weak and troubled, they may even assume that “they are sheep being led to slaughter.”
They see in us no chance of making it through these life stressors and difficulties. Despite the thoughts of many, God calls us more than conquerors. We conquer simply because at the end of the day when we lay our heads down we cannot be removed or separated from His love; a love so authentic and so transforming that it doesn’t leave us the way we came. How many relationships have we found ourselves in or can even look back upon, where we can genuinely say the person we were with transformed us, and our life in a positive and lasting way ? How much more powerful this love is, that we can come with blemish and stain and walk away without! So, as you celebrate this Valentine’s Day, with friends, family, or loved ones, get dressed up, go out to dinner, etc. keep in remembrance the love of God. Despite everything in life, God’s love is the count in which we all march to victory.
Romans 8:35-39
Be blessed.
R oses are red, vio lets are blue. Here are so me valentines fro m us to yo u.
Valen-why?
BY L I Z GU I L L ER MO GuestWriter
There are two things that make me dizzy, Scramble my brain and send me into a tizzy First off is simply spinning in a chair. But the other is when love is in the air.
Valentine’s Day is the day love is most alive. Can you not show it all 365?
Maybe I seem like a bitter gruffalo, But Valentine’s seems to be true love’s foe.
Just take a moment and think it through, Is commercialized love really for you?
Crowded restaurants with no empty seats, Dresses you can’t sit it; pants with perfect pleats
Love isn’t written in cheesy love cards, Love is written in moments and the stars
True love cannot be bought from a store, Spontaneous moments lie at its core.
So take some time to be innovative, Find a way to be creative.
Each day is a new chance to let love show. An opportunity to let it glow
Pressure to be perfect crushes like a vice, So I hope you heed my unsolicited advice: Trust me whenever I say, February 14 is just another day.
1 Thinking Out Loud- Ed Sheeran
2.Everlasting Love- Fifth Harmony
3 I’ll Cover You- Rachel Tucker
4 Wonderful Tonight- Eric Clapton
5.Breathe Again- Sara Barilles
6.Somebody Loves You- Betty Who
7 Love on Top- Beyonce
8.Superluv- Shane Dawson
9.Two Pieces- Demi Lovato
10 Better Together- Fifth Harmony
11.Ain’t No Other Man- Christina Aguilera
12.Kiss Me Slowly- Parachute
13.Everything- Lifehouse
14 Not a Bad Thing- Justin Timberlake
15.Falling Slowly- Kris Allen
16.Can’t Help Falling in Love- Elvis Presley
17.Never Alone- Lady Antebellum
18.A Drop in the Ocean- Ron Pope
19 Come Rain or Come Shine- Barbra
Streisand & John Mayer
1 Since U Been Gone- Kelly Clarkson
2.Problem- Ariana Grande
3 You Give Love a Bad Name- Bon Jovi
4 Best Thing I Never Had- Beyonce
5.If I Loved You- Delta Rae
6 Miss Movin’ On- Fifth Harmony
7 It’s Not Right But It’s Okay- Whitney
Houston
8.I Will Survive- Gloria Gaynor
9 Leave the Pieces- The Wreckers
10.Single Ladies- Beyonce
11.365 Days- ZZ Ward
12 Really Don’t Care- Demi Lovato (feat Cher Lloyd)
