As a senior in college I’ve been through it all. The ups and downs…the highs and the lows. I have no complaints really, these past 3 years have been absolutely amazing and I wouldn’t change a thing. I’ve met the best people and made memories that I will never forget. I’ve gone to parties where I look around and just feel so lucky to be having this kind of an experience. There has been one thing over the years that has bothered me about this crazy college lifestyle. Why, in a time where the media and the world is all about female empowerment, do college aged women constantly have to feel like they need to lower their expectations? Maybe the media is part of the problem, maybe guys are, maybe we do it to ourselves.
We live in a society that is constantly putting themselves out there, we snap story our lives and watch them at the end of the day as we lay in bed. We share highlights on our Instagrams which make us look fun and trendy and carefree. We as women are constantly compared to one another, when we shouldn’t be. When I look at my friends I think, how can such beautiful, funny, genuine girls be treated the way they are by men.
The hookup culture is ‘fun and simple,’ no feelings involved. Right? Maybe for some people. But it is so hard for me to believe that girls are the only ones with feelings about this. I’ve gone through 3 years without a real emotional romantic connection and to be honest at the end of the day, it gets lonely. That’s the part of the parties, or the one night stands that they don’t warn you about.
Being single is a good time, don’t get me wrong. I am not saying that every girl I know is looking for a relationship, even if it is cuffing season. I know I am not there yet in my life. Just because we hangout with you twice in one weekend doesn’t mean you need to give the, “I’m not looking for a girlfriend speech.” It also doesn’t mean that it’s time to stop texting them for a couple days so they get the message that you don’t want this to be a serious thing. This IS college. Everyone is just trying to enjoy the time they have here, why shut down something good if it is going well. Ride the wave.
It just really starts to get old when every time I meet a new cool guy I have to step back and lower my expectations. Because I don’t want to get hurt, because I am the girl, and girls have feelings. Why should I have to feel like that? It is the dumbest game in the world but we are all playing it. Waiting two hours to answer a text if he took one, posting a snap story to see if he has watched it and not texted back, playing hard to get but not too hard to get where he moves on to the next girl.
What I am getting at here is just that I don’t think we should have to lower our expectations. Because guess what, I am great. If a guy doesn’t realize that then I guess that’s ok. But I deserve to be treated the way that I want to be treated. Everyone deserves to feel like the best version of themselves, so be that person and you might just find your person.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n450GmN2Yfk