Love or hate it, Valentine’s Day will be here before you know it. Some cynically dismiss the Cupid celebrations as nothing more than a holiday to make singles feel bad (point taken). But if you think back to Valentine’s Day as a kid, we’re pretty sure you can’t help but smile – after all, cards and candy parties totally outweigh any candlelit dinners as an adult.

To bring you back to those good old days, we’ve put together a comparison of Valentine’s Day as a kid versus Valentine’s Day as an adult – through the eyes of Mindy Kaling, of course. Enjoy!

Dressing Up For Valentine’s Day

As a Kid

As an Adult

Valentine’s Day Parties

As a Kid

Twenty-four Valentine’s Day cards from all of your classmate “friends.”

As an Adult

Stuck at work.

You See a Couple in Love

As a Kid

As an Adult

If You’re Single

As a Kid

….smooching on the playground.

As an Adult

Candy & Chocolate

As a Kid

As an Adult

…still just as amazing

Advice from a kid on Valentine’s Day…

image via onecharmingparty.com