Anyone who has seen How I Met Your Mother, or talked to any guy ever, knows that there is a pretty standard “Bro Code” that all self-respecting men follow. They seem to have black and white rules which keep them out of trouble (and drama). We thought it was high time that girls were able to refer to a standard list of guidelines to know with it is – and when it’s not – okay to go for that guy!
1. Fantasy – This is never going to happen, and means nothing, so be happy for your friends that get the honor of hooking up with him.
Example: Your totally hot frat star Management 101 TA. Sure, he knows your name, but it doesn’t count if it’s for the attendance roster.
2. Crush – This form of love lasts two months or longer, is based on an actual friendship, and therefore has potential (unless you’re delusional). He is off limits to friends who know about this secret crush until, like all crushes, one of you is moved to the friend zone and you move on.
Example: I really love this boy in my econ class… he texts me for the hw, but we both know he just wants an excuse to ask me what I’m doing later.
3. Random hook ups
a. Hooking up with someone once does not imply ownership. It was, hence the name, “random.” It’s totally natural to be bummed with he hus with your friend the following night, but at this stage in the game, it’s the guy’s pick.
b. Once this random hu becomes not so random – after the third time in a row and the “Yo are you out?” texts start coming, he is off limits until your friend is on to the next boy.
4. Exclusive hook ups – Implies potential relationship i.e. off limits until your friend is openly “over it.” You wouldn’t want to be the girl that got in the way of her and her almost-college-boyfriend-and-potential-husband-material.
5. Officially dating – No. Just no. Cheating is absolutely not okay especially with your friend’s guy (this goes without saying) and you should wait double the amount of time the relationship lasted before making a go at it.
Example: Sure, you may have crushed on him during your Art-Sci weekend, but they named their future children, so she has the upper hand.
6. Calling dibbs – We’ve all been there. But only one guy at a time ladies. We all have slim pickings at WashU so let’s try to play fair. Of course, rule 5 still counts.
Example 1: Your friend is on the rebound and would totally freak out if you got with her current fling but she can still not want you hu-ing with her boyf from freshman, sophomore and half of junior year. That would just be rude.
Example 2: You may have room for six boys in your heart at once, but you only get one +1.
7. It never hurts to ask – If you really like him that much and feel its absolutely necessary to break an above rule, just go ahead and ask her before you do anything you’ll regret later. And if he’s truly your soulmate, and you’d do anything to be with him, go ahead and face her wrath in the morning.
8. Sharing is caring – Just go ahead and tell her. They may have randomly hued once like a million years ago, but its always better to hear it from you than from a friend of this girl who totally was there and heard so-and-so talking about how he saw you and the guy walking upstairs together.
9. It takes two to tango – You might not have official dibbs, but it could still feel like she stabbed you in the back. Just remember that he was there too, and probably not worth another thought if he would get with your friend so easily.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Wash U chapter.