VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 29, 2020 / — Valentine’s Day has long received mixed reviews from singles and according to a new study by dating app Plenty of Fish, singles are officially over it. The Pressures of Valentine’s Day & Dating study reveals that 43% of singles consider Valentine’s Day to be the most pressure-filled holiday, with 1 in 5 wishing the holiday was canceled altogether.

As a follow-up to Plenty of Fish’s 2019 Pressure Points study, which examined the causes and effects of the many pressures singles experience in their dating lives, the Pressures of Valentine’s Day & Dating study explores the pressures singles across America face as the year’s “most romantic” holiday quickly approaches.

“Our research shows that singles not only desire low-pressure dating situations, but that they are flat out tired of the unrealistic expectations that society and social media place on them – especially during this time of year,” said Stefan Harvalias, VP Marketing, Plenty of Fish. “At Plenty of Fish, we strive to increase authenticity in the dating experience, in hopes that we can make dating more enjoyable year around.”

Under Pressure
According to the study, the pressure tied to Valentine’s Day is stronger among younger singles, with 60% of Gen Z and 52% of Millennials feeling the heat, and trends downwards as singles age. Interestingly, the biggest pressures come from external sources tied to societal expectations (58%), commercialization and non-stop advertising of the big day (57%), and social media hype (48%).

The research also shows that on Valentine’s Day, singles feel pressure to be romantic (51%), be in a relationship (43%), go on a date (42%), spend more money on gifts than they want to (37%), act like the holiday is meaningful (41%), or show others they have a Valentine (36%).

Heartbreakers
This year, only 20% of singles are excited for Valentine’s Day,  and perhaps surprisingly, men are more likely than women to be excited about the holiday (21% compared to 17%, respectively). Additionally, the majority of women (52%) are not willing to go on a first date on February 14th, with the exception of Gen Z (60% would go on a first date on Valentine’s Day).

Despite the general dislike for Valentine’s Day, the study found that singles still take steps to improve their odds on dating apps ahead of the holiday with 37% saying they reply to more messages, 36% update their profile pictures and 29% initiate more conversations leading up to the holiday.

Valentine’s Day Dating Archetypes: Plenty of Fish  has revealed four key Valentine’s Day personalities to watch out for this year based on the survey’s telling results:

• The Hopeful Romantics: Love wins with this group – 23% of singles, including nearly 1/3 of Millennials, prefer to spend the day with a romantic partner.
• The Puppy Lovers: Companionship isn’t limited to human interaction. Spending the holiday with man’s best friend is A-OK with the 12% of singles who would prefer to spend the holiday with their pet.
• The Forget-ME-Nots: These singles prefer to ride solo and prioritize self-love. The majority of singles (58%) believe it’s more important to focus on self-care on February 14th than a date and over 1/3 of singles prefer to spend the day solo.
• The PALentines: There’s no better pressure relief than quality time with friends. Seventeen percent of singles, including nearly 1/4 of Gen Z (24%), would prefer to spend Valentine’s Day with their friends.

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