According to a recent Cosmopolitan article, in a woman’s life, there will be four important men. You have: The First Love; (otherwise defined as the awkward snog on your parents’ sofa), The Rebound; (an edgy, alternative to your first love…probably in a band, or still has myspace), The One before the One; (you think he’s the one – normally ends badly), and finally, there’s The One (…no explanation needed).
Whilst this may seem a generalisation of the bikini waxes, phone bills and fake orgasms we’ve invested into previous relationships, (always maintaining that he wasn’t like the others,) if you sit down, categorise, and think about it, there appears to be truth in this Cosmopolitan claim. However, with first loves, edgy antidotes and the-one-that-got-away tucked firmly under my suspender belt does this mean that my current two-year relationship must now be classified as The One??
Many couples meet at University, but does this mean we must assume that the stumbling rugby player on the top floor of TP is prime candidate to father our children? Or did we prematurely write-off that Fresher’s Week flop, who walked us home but then threw up in our wardrobe? Without wanting to sound like the Grinch of Romance, if Uni is about defining ourselves and finding ourselves, should we really be getting lost in the eyes of someone else? Never again will we be surrounded by such a liberal approach to libido, where sex in the library is mere playtime and blow jobs are the only work we can get. Arena is our own answer to Match.com and if you want a boy, all you need is a tight black dress and an open… mind.
Over my three years here, you’d be surprised at the number of “I think I’m going to marry thems” that have been confessed over coffee, but probably less shocked by the same number ending in tears and a night in The Lemmy. Many of us seem to think that because our parents or godparents or whoever met at our age, that as a result, we will too. In a world where women have careers first and get married second, the rules of our parents’ generation no longer apply. Consequently, should we really be spending the most liberating years of our life tied down to the one we assume must, by default, be The One?
Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that University and relationships should be mutually exclusive; look at how well things ended-up for Kate Middleton, just, if you are a table for two, don’t start picking out the wedding china yet. The person you’re with may be The One For Now, just don’t let the chance of him maybe being The One For Later stop you from enjoying topless Lukies dancing to the Baywatch theme.
University should be a case of “been there, and done that”, just don’t forget the T-Shirt for the walk-of-shame home.
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