Chivalry: Does it exist on the college campus?

When was the last time a boy picked you up for a date and came up to your apartment door? Better yet, when was the last time a guy picked you up and got out of the car, and scrambled to the other side to open the door for you? Over and over I have heard the quote “chivalry is dead.”
 
But is it really? Isn’t it possible, that like most things in today’s society, a guy’s idea of chivalry is just a little bit different? I asked myself, what does chivalry look like on the average college campus?
 
Personally, my expectations might be too high, but I think there are some acts of chivalry that should never die. For instance, if a guy is going to pick you up from your house for the first time to go on an actual date, he shouldn’t be texting you saying he’s outside or honking the horn. (If a guy ever honked the horn at me on any date I wouldn’t even go outside!) He should be coming to your door and walking with you to the car. He doesn’t have to do this every time but the first date is a big step and should be treated as such.
 
So what do girls think are the most important acts of chivalry to practice? And what do the guys have to say about doing these things?
 
Hold the door!
“Nothing is ruder than when a guy walks into a building and doesn’t even acknowledge that you’re walking right behind him! Like, hello! Hold the door please, I’m right here,” says Jessica*, a sophomore at James Madison. I can’t help but agree that when a guy waits an extra long time to hold the door for me, it is such a turn on and reminds me that there are still gentlemen left in this world!        
 
Mike, a senior at James Madison University, says, “I always hold the door open for girls when I’m walking with them or when they’re right behind me. Isn’t that chivalrous?” 
 
Pull out the chair? Don’t care!
Think about how many times you’ve seen movies where the couple goes to the restaurant and the guy slyly goes behind the girl and pulls out her chair followed by perfectly sliding it to the backs of her
legs, as she daintily takes a seat. Now, think about how many times you have actually seen that happen to you in real life.
 
If you’re like me, the answer is probably — never? Unfortunately, it seems as if for college-aged guys and girls, this practice has died along with dueling for a lady’s hand in marriage!
 
“If a guy pulled out my chair for me in D-hall or Dukes or something, I would probably think it was more strange than sweet. It’s just different when you’re in college,” says Megan, a sophomore at James Madison. In fact, of the people who I asked, only 1 in 20 said that they would like it if a guy pulled their chair out for them at a restaurant. Guys, looks like you’re off the hook for this one!
 
Baby, it’s Cold Outside!
This act of chivalry brings me back to the senior prom; I always loved when I was cold and my guy would offer up his jacket and place it on my shoulders. Even if he was cold and wanted it, he just couldn’t stand to see you shiver! As it turns out, this is an act that is definitely not dead around campus!
 
Erin*, a junior at James Madison, remembers, “One time I was walking home from a party and I was freezing! As I was walking, some guy I passed saw the look of coldness on my face and stopped to give me his sweatshirt. I didn’t even know him, and I still have his sweatshirt, but he still felt he needed to keep me warm.”
 
Chris, another junior at James Madison, says, “I would obviously give a girl my jacket if she was cold or even if she didn’t say she was cold but she looked like she was. You look like a jerk if you’re walking with a girl and you’re all warm and she’s shivering.”
 

There you have it ladies and gentlemen! It seems that around the JMU campus guys are still caring and respectful (even if sometimes we seriously doubt it).  However, those are just three chivalrous acts to watch out for. Next time you’re out with a guy, going to class, at a restaurant, etc., check to see if a guy will pull any of these chivalrous acts out of the bag!
 

• If you’re at the library studying late, the guy should always offer to walk or drive you home.
• If you’re on a bus and there aren’t any more seats left, a guy should always offer up his seat to give to the ladies standing.
• If you’re out with a guy and you run into some of his friends that you don’t know, he should always introduce them to you.
• If you’re on a date and it’s raining, the guy should go get the car so that you don’t have to get soaked.
• If you’re on a first date, the guy should offer to pay for it. (As a side note, the girl should always offer to pay for it also, even if you know he’s not going to let you!)

And remember, girls who deserve chivalry will get chivalry. So always act like the beautiful and classy ladies that you all are, and great things will come to you!