Every time I have a girls’ night with my friends, the first movie that someone suggests watching is always the same: Mean Girls. I’m pretty comfortable in saying that my friends can also repeat every single line while it’s playing, and even though guys won’t always readily admit it, many of them love it too. What never ceases to amaze me, however, is that girls can still act like that, and get away with it.
The other day I was having dinner in the Commons Dining Hall TV room. A group of girls was sitting and giggling at the table in front of me, chatting about boys, clothes, and makeup. Those who have spoken with me know I am a tad cynical when it comes to “girl talk” and would much rather talk about sports than what celebrity entered rehab for the eighth time. I almost wished that I could have heard the ESPN report on the Yankees being knocked out of the playoffs over their mind-numbing chat—and that’s saying something coming from a die-hard Yankees fan.
What appalled me, however, was not the lack of substance in their conversation, but what happened when they were all hungry. No one actually wanted to get up and get the food. Then, enter guy who I shall call “Nerdy Boy.” He went over to the table of girls and started talking with one of them about a class. The girl sat there half ignoring him, but when the guy finished talking and started walking away, she had a thought. She put on the most pouty expression and said, “Hey [Nerdy Boy], would you mind getting us a plate of fries? We’re all really tired.”
And whoosh, he was off to the grill and came back with a steaming plate of fries. They shooed him away pretty rudely and as soon as he was out of hearing distance, they burst out giggling. The damsel-in-distress said to her friends, “You know I hate to use guys like that!” and with that horribly guilty conscience, she grabbed a couple of fries off the plate and giggled with them.
Now, I understand that many girls do this to guys; any girl who has taken Engineering Processes knows batting her eyelashes a little could be the difference between failing and passing. I admit I’ve done it on occasion, but it’s still incredibly wrong and rude to play with guys the way these girls did.
Granted, many girls will say Nerdy Boy should have realized this girl was using him, but it doesn’t make it any less wrong, girls! No offense to RPI guys, but the “socially adept” gene is not particularly prevalent at the ’Tute and the Nerdy Boy tends to take the attention you give him as a way to gain social standing. I have two brothers and grew up with all guy friends, so I’ve had constant guy commentary about when a girl would use them.
Regardless, this situation makes me angry at the fact that girls get away with RIBS so easily here. All of the guys complain about it, but they do let it happen to a degree by allowing themselves to be used as a waiter. All the girls complain about getting a bad name from it, yet they encourage it by asking their friends to use guys. Hypocrisy, anyone?
Now, if I may address the other Nerdy Boys at RPI, don’t think you have to treat girls like princesses if you want to be friends with someone—not everyone’s a “mean girl.”
Girls: don’t give in to RIBS! Just because guys will treat you like a princess doesn’t mean you have to take advantage of them.
And lastly, to the Nerdy Boy of Commons, get a new friend! Unless, of course, you got the girls the fries with the intent of clogging their arteries, in which case, kudos!
