Boys and Girls

So this has been bugging me lately (and I'm about to be super honest with you). I honestly want your feedback and thoughts.

I'm a girl...a very girly girl, to be precise. According to Karissa's personality test (which is SO true), I am a guardian provider, which basically means I am a classic, southern hospitality, motherly-instinct kind of girl who wants a fairy tale when it comes to romance. Now, I can rough it with the boys when needed (geo-caching, anyone?), but for the most part, I want to be a girl.

This is what bugs me: Why is it that as a girl, if I say that I want to be in a quality, loving relationship, people automatically label me as boy-crazy and someone who just wants to get married? In this moment of honesty, yes, eventually, I'd like to get married, but not tomorrow or necessarily even next year. However, for guys, when they say they want to find a girl, it's seen as noble and manly.

I just got through rereading a blog from my friend Steven. He wrote it this summer, and it's amazing. He talks about saving himself for his future wife and how much he can't wait to meet her, yet he's content in waiting, as long as he finds her eventually. People absolutely sang his praises after he wrote it. Every girl basically fell in love, and every guy thought he was awesome. Also, on MANY of my guy-friends' profiles, they have "my future wife" or "a nice girl" under their "Who you'd like to meet" section. Yet, if I were to write either of those things, people would think I was crazy.

Especially at Southwestern, people assume the majority of girls are here just to get their M-R-S degrees. Just so you know, there are some girls here who have brains and want a degree and really, really value their school work. Sure, I'm guilty of having no idea what I want to do with my life, but I'm not here just to get married. I want an education. I came for an education. Now, (another moment of extreme honesty) did I hope to find my better half here at the GU? Sure. My brother did, and a lot of people do. Why not? I go to school with hundreds of men in my age group who love Jesus and are obviously smart enough to be pursuing a college degree. Odds are, one out of this group could have some potential. But is marriage my reason for being in college? Heck no. I believe in God's timing and plan completely.

Anyway, sorry for the bitter rant. I just don't understand why girls get such a bad rap. Yes, I would like more than anything to find someone to spend time with just for the sake of pleasant company, but I'm not boy-crazy or a shallow girl. Thoughts??

Christen

To my wonderful friends...

Thank you to everyone who made this one of the best weekends of my life!! I feel like I took a hiatus from school and just reconnected. I'm serious- so refreshing and fun!! I haven't laughed as much as I did this weekend in a really long time.

I have this theory that I have 3 generations of Southwestern friends. My freshman year (pre-Master's commission) I was mainly friends with older people, and now they are grown up and getting married. After Master's, I was friends with people my own age who are either seniors or one year out of school now. And now, my friends are mainly juniors and seniors. These are three very distinct groups that I love for so many reasons, and they overlap to a degree. Karissa tends to be the main over-lapper. haha But I love and appreciate them so very much.

This weekend, I managed to spend very significant time with all these people. It started Thursday night at my house. My newest group came over for pizza and games, and we all just hung out. It was really nice. Then Friday, I went to dinner with several of my older girls because Angie Yandell was in town (she's getting married in 2 months!!!!!). We cracked each other up with our awesome hair styles and cheerleading routines. haha!! Later that night, I got to camp with some very dear friends for Shelby's birthday. We went geo-cacheing which is probably my new favorite thing, for sure! I've really miss being in the woods and enjoying nature (except for those wretched spiders!!), so it was great. We roasted marshmellows and had great "life" talks and even made breakfast Saturday morning. I love my friends so much!

After camping, everyone headed to Southwestern's homecoming football game (which we won!!!!!!!) to see Sigi and Girien crowned Queen and King (and to see me cheer, of course...haha). Shelby had to hand over her Queen title. We had a really great Homecoming Court (shout out to Nate and Chris!), and I would have been pleased with any of them winning. It was a great game and a beautiful day. My parents even came. It was wonderful to see them! :) After dinner with my padres, I attended Angie's wedding shower. It was lovely (Andrea is a wonderful host), and she received some beautiful things. It was so refreshing to see all the girls there. I miss them terribly. Post shower, I continued in the celebration of Shelby's birth at her house. Karissa made her famous cookies, and we all drank hot chocolate before a rousing game of Farkle (dice game). I lost, but it was still a blast. Then, we just goofed off until really late. I miss my roomies. :( But it was fantastic to see them all weekend. :) Thanks to Brooke for spending the night and bumming around with me this afternoon! Love you!

So, here's to my friends who enrich my life and make me who I am. I am so blessed. I was telling Jeanene last night how much I enjoyed myself and almost started crying. I couldn't have asked for a better college experience or better friends. I love each and every one of you and am so thankful you are part of my life. I love you!

Christen