Janice EdmanA few weeks ago, while out at the bars with a group of friends, someone noticed that a staggeringly large amount of guys seemed to be out on the prowl. Cheesy pick-up lines and lustful stares abounded, and I wondered what had spiked the urge in these guys to find a girl. Finally someone produced a theory: Winter is coming and many males are seeking a warm body to hole up with during the cold season.
Maybe this wasn’t true for every guy out that night, but several guy friends did confirm the idea. It’s not just us girls who want a special person to hold hands with, call on a stressful day, and crawl into bed with at night when the temperature drops – deep down, maybe all guys aren’t commitment-phobes out to break our hearts. But many dudes won’t admit to the fact that having a girlfriend can be a pretty gratifying thing, other than when the lonely hours of winter take over. So where did monogamy get such a bad rap?
Naturally, we can consider biology as the number one reason a guy just won’t settle down. We all know how it works: one guy, as long as he’s virile and potent, could theoretically impregnate a huge amount of women (and probably still want more after a quick catnap). Though this is no longer necessary or socially acceptable in our culture, remnants of this “spreading the seed” still remain in the male psyche, causing guys oftentimes to believe that they could, no wait, MUST hook up with as many girls as possible.
Admittedly, it’s no fun eating nutritious but predictable pasta every night when one could enjoy an entire menu of entrees. But as a girl who has spent time both as a sultry single and a committed girlfriend, I have to give monogamy credit where credit is due. Consider that devoted couples don’t have to go through the song and dance of flirting, drinking and awkwardly initiating to enjoy some action between the sheets. Plus, couples can rely on regular sex day or night (especially if it’s good sex), which even the most commitment resistant have to admit is enticing. But a boyfriend or girlfriend is also a person you can rely on in any situation ” when you lock your keys in your car, when you’re sick in bed, etc. Commitment phobes can boast complete independence, but there’s no shame in needing intimacy in your life instead of emotionless flings.
Of course, this doesn’t mean everyone should be in a relationship for the sake of being in a relationship. The beauty of it is that each person has found another that they are willing to give up their single life for. But for those people who avoid commitment like the plague, don’t let a good thing pass you by based on the principle that monogamy is monotonous. And if a relationship feels boring, then maybe it is time to pull the plug.
Incidentally, if all those guys out the other night wanted to meet someone only to last the duration of winter, I can only wonder what will happen when the flowers start blooming again – maybe by March we’ll all be singing the tune of spring fling.
Janice Edman is an English senior and a Mustang Daily columnist.