There are a handful of people who believe that Valentine's Day is a holiday that is made up by greeting card companies. I'll have to admit that I am one of those people and have been since Valentine's Day parties ended in elementary school. These days, I am still not a fan of the holiday, but things have shifted a tad now that I am in a relationship.

The other day, my professor gave her "Valentine's Day talk" – something that she thought each and everybody needed to be reminded of. The key is to get your partner a gift, no matter what kind of gift it is or how many times they repeat that they do not want or need anything.

They are waiting for a small token of your love, and the repetitive sentence "I don't want anything" means absolutely nothing. As a college student or somebody with a full-time job, it isn't always simple to purchase a gift for your loved one while on a budget. There's a tendency to have screenshots of everything you want to get them, but you know that is isn't realistic at this moment in time. However, there are other ways to spend the holiday.

1. Make a meal instead of going out.

Even if you could afford a fancy night out, Valentine's Day is one of the busiest nights to go out and eat. Take advantage of sitting comfy with your partner in one of your own homes and having the ability to actually hear one another and not rubbing shoulders with whoever is trying to eat next to you. If you want to truly see who is more experienced in the kitchen, try following a video tutorial instead of a cook book.

2. Buy a potted plant instead of a bouquet.

The classic Valentine's Day gift is a bouquet of red roses, but sadly, the prices of bouquets have risen over time. You don't have to throw out the idea of giving your loved one flowers, instead, get them a potted plant of some sort. They tend to be cheaper than bouquets and last longer. A plant that somebody can keep is a sweet reminder of Valentine's Day when they got you that.

3. Go on a hike or experience a nature trail.

Take advantage of the outdoors with your loved one. If you happen to live in a state with mountain ranges, take out the hiking boots. If you live somewhere that doesn't have too many mountains or hiking is just not your cup of tea, check out local nature trails. They're usually less difficult and sometimes have cool things throughout the trail talking about the area.

4. Make a greeting card with your bare hands.

Ever since I was a child, my mom told me to make a card instead of ever buying her one. She said that handmade cards would always mean so much more than a card from the store. It didn't have to be close to perfect, but it still showed that you cared. So save the extra cash you have laying around that could be put towards something important. Dig out the pencil pouch or paint kit you got when you were a child. Make your own masterpiece.

5. Skip the presents and save the money to put towards something else.

There might be a destination you both talk about going to often or an activity that is brought up practically every day. Instead of the gifts, save the money to put towards something that you both are interested in doing. It could make it more memorable due to the fact that you both skipped a Valentine's Day gift just to afford a needed adventure.

6. Be present for the actual holiday.

With full-time jobs and tackling fives classes or more, it is easy to have conflicting schedules with your significant others. Plan ahead to make sure you'll be able to see each other at some point on Valentine's Day, no matter if it is for ten minutes or the whole day. Being together means so much more than getting a "Happy Valentines Day, I'll call you later" text.