Whether you love or hate it, it’s that time of year again: Grocery stores fill their aisles with chocolate and candy hearts, your favorite brands come out with red and pink collections, and us college students secretly miss the elementary school days when we got cards and candy from everyone in our class.

It’s a time that makes us think of sappiness and grand romantic gestures, so it fittingly falls in … Aquarius season?

On the surface, to anyone who knows about Aquarius traits, the timing of the holiday is surprising. Aquarians are known for being rebelliously intellectual, and one would think they’d despise such a mushy-gushy holiday. But if you try to see Aquarians on a deeper level, it makes a bit more sense.

Aquarians, and I mean this in the most endearing way, are the epitome of the lead character in an indie coming-of-age movie. You know, the one who has a deep monologue prepared for any mundane situation, like a rainy day or a football game. Margo from “Paper Towns” (2015), Lady Bird from “Lady Bird” (2017) and Nadine from “The Edge of Seventeen” (2016) come to mind.

In such a movie, Aquarians would be the ones to follow their hearts and profess their love in front of the entire cafeteria because they don’t care what anyone else thinks. They’re unapologetically themselves, especially when it comes to something they’re passionate about. In this way, they’re some of the most romantic people out there.

This Valentine’s Day in particular is full of Aquarius transits. Mercury, Mars and Pluto will all reside in the fixed air sign come Wednesday. Mercury is the planet of communication, so maybe it really is the time to profess your love in the middle of USC Village or Tutor Campus Center. Go beyond an Instagram story post and think like an Aquarius: out-of-the-box, unconventional and rebellious.

Mars is the planet of sex and ambition; I’ll let you do your own research on the former aspect, but the ambition part of Mars is often overlooked. People with Mars in Aquarius derive their ambition from, you guessed it, being rebellious and thinking outside of the box.

If you’re pursuing a romantic relationship this Valentine’s Day, think of an interesting way to ask them out on a date. If you’re not looking for romance right now, channel this energy into other ambitions: If you feel stuck in school or work, think about how you can think creatively to find a new path that you’re passionate about.

If all of this Aquarius talk sounds like a lot, don’t fear. Valentine’s Day has a few other placements that will balance out Aquarius’ sometimes chaotic energy, like Venus in Capricorn.

Venus, the planet of love and beauty, symbolizes both what one looks for in a partner and looks for aesthetically. It’s not exactly at home in the cardinal earth sign of Capricorn, but the sign’s earth energy brings a desire for commitment.

Capricorns, in all aspects of life, like to plan ahead and know exactly what direction they’re headed in. So this Valentine’s Day might be a good time to get some clarity on your relationships and maybe even have the “What are we?” talk.

Also balancing out Aquarius’ energy is the delightful Taurus moon. Tauruses are ruled by Venus, so they know a thing or two when it comes to love. They’re sentimental, stubborn and hopeless romantics. They love material objects, so gift-giving might be one of their top love languages.

Lean into that sentimental energy with a gift that will mean a lot to your partner, like DIYing a relationship memento or getting them concert tickets for one of their favorite artists. Maybe even opt for a cozy night in this Valentine’s Day, as Taurus energy usually pushes us toward comfort.

While romantic relationships are typically the focus on Valentine’s Day, don’t forget to lean into this same energy and show love to your friends and family this year. Use Aquarius’ energy to write them a letter to show how grateful you are, or make them a handmade gift using Taurus’ sentimentality.

All of the evidence points to a Valentine’s Day that will be full of unconventional ways of expressing love that lead to commitment, or at least more answers when it comes to romantic relationships. (But if any of my advice fails, you didn’t hear it from me.)

Jenna Peterson is a senior writing about anything and everything astrology related in her column, “Written in the Stars,” which runs every other Friday.