As a sophomore here at BU, I’ve experienced – whether personally or vicariously through friends – my fair share of college hook ups. Whether they resulted in an awkward dining hall run in or not, hooking up is an inevitable and irresistible part of college culture. It is through this constant hook up process that we get to meet a wide range of boys, the most common being the following five:
The One Hit Wonder
Sometimes, we have to accept the random, drunken hook ups for what they really are: one night stands. At one point or another, most of us will have them, with the story going something like this: boy meets girl at a party, boy flirtatiously suggests to girl that they “take the party somewhere more private,” boy and girl walk through the streets of Allston until finally their destination has been reached, the dorm room. Once boy and girl awaken in the morning, their buzzes have worn off and their hook up is officially over. It’s time for boy and girl to go their separate ways. Boy and girl do, typically, exchange phone numbers and/or friend requests – likely to be the first time they even exchange full names – but are unlikely to ever actually reach out to one another. Boy and girl may never see each other again, or even recognize each other if they do, but at least they can add one more notch to their StuVi 2 bedposts.
The One You Wish Went Away
These kinds of hook ups are the complete opposite. In exchange for a night or two of talking, flirting, cuddling, and other recreational activities that aren’t provided by FitRec, we’ve acquired a constant source of texts, calls, Snapchats, and Facebook inboxes. Despite the fact that we haven’t responded to a single one of their attempts to communicate, these guys are adamant about getting to know us better, or at least getting in our pants even further. As if they’ll never get the memo that we just aren’t interested, these guys constantly hit us up for plans. And even on the Saturday nights when we’re sitting at home, sober in our sweatpants, stuffing our faces with delivery pizza, absolutely no plans ahead of us for the night, we will still reject them. Every now and again the gates of heaven open up and their invites miraculously seem to stop, but let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves, ladies, we are freaking fabulous and we can’t blame them for thinking of us every chance they get.
The One You Become Friends With
“I can’t believe I ever hooked up with him,” you’ll tell your girlfriends over pitchers of sangria at Scoozi. This rare type of guy is the kind that you found yourself swooning over one night at a mixer, but whom you now consider a close and personal friend. You may even find yourself playing wing-woman for him one day, because you genuinely want him to find a nice girl to settle down with… or, okay, maybe just get with. Still, you truly don’t have a jealous bone in your body for the girls he finds himself interested in. And when you too, are attracted to someone else, this guy is supportive and helpful and will put in a good word for you. Maybe the hook up strengthened the friendship the two of you have now, or maybe it’s a taboo subject you never bring up. Regardless, you’ve found a partner in crime, and that’s the way (a-huh, a-huh) you like it.
The One That Got Away
Some college hook ups go so well, at least in your opinion, that you develop crushes on the guys you have them with, even if you know the relationship you two have is unlikely to evolve into a serious one. These are the guys that get away… the ones you like deep down, but for whatever reason, it never works out with. Perhaps the timing is off, or perhaps it’s your schedules, friend groups, or mentalities don’t that make sense together. Who knows? When you happen to see each other from afar in the GSU, your heart breaks a little because you have so many questions to ask and so many things still left unsaid, but you know that there’s no point. You two have what you two have: casual trysts that amount to nothing in the long run. Either way, you’re bummed that you two can’t get it right, but you try to convince yourself that it probably isn’t meant to be. Chances are, you’re right about that.
The One
After having hook ups that don’t mean anything, that shouldn’t have happened, or that never led anywhere special, you meet that one particular guy that changes her entire college experience, and in many memorable ways, even her life. They may not be the actual one (you know, our future husbands/father of our children) but they are the one person we look most forward to hearing from every day, that we keep our eyes open for in the Comm. Ave. crowds, and that you eventually commit yourself to. As time passes and your relationship intensifies, you grow to really love each other. You honestly can’t imagine college without them by your side, and when you look back and reminisce on your time here in Boston, they’re sure to be a part of a handful of your memories. With all the dinners at Sunset, the date nights in Kenmore, and the confident way you do your walks of shame knowing how little shame there actually is in spending the night at your boyfriend’s, you couldn’t be happier to be in love.
Of course, each of us girls has our own preferences. We tend to gravitate to different guys, and find ourselves most attracted to a number of hook up types. Whichever one tickles your fancy, you’re sure to have a wide selection, but always remember: no matter how single or taken you are, no matter if you’re looking for love or running away from it, your guy is out there somewhere. You might just have to do a bit of hooking up before you find him!