“Prince Charming: Real or Fanta-City?”
Boston is filled with people bustling around to see the latest museum or try the trendiest restaurant, therefore why are women still expected to waste their free time searching for men? Why are we expected to figure out not only our future career paths in college, but our future relationships and marriages when we already have so much on our plates and so much to see?
Ever since we are little, girls begin dreaming of their “knight in shining armor” who will whisk them away from their normal and monotonous lives. They start envisioning a fairytale wedding in a huge ball gown dress, and those magical words, “I do,” that come at the end of the reception. But where do you find that special partner? Most would argue at college, or at least that's where you start looking for him. However, there’s so much more to the college experience than drooling over men, especially when you go to college in Boston. Window shopping down Newbury Street or trying a lobster roll from Pauli’s in the North End with your friends can make your time spent in Boston incredibly memorable and special. And not only that, but just think about all the afternoons we spend buried in our textbooks and laptops doing homework and studying. Where in the world is there time looking for our future partners at 18?
The whole idea of young women spending all their time in search of their husbands was created centuries ago - way before women had a more prominent role in society and in the workforce. Back in the 1800s, most women were expected to get married early, even as young as fourteen years old, and then start having children. While their husbands, “the breadwinners,” went out to work all day, the women spent most of their time cooking, cleaning, and taking care of the children. Thanks to so many notable women, including Susan B. Anthony and Lucretia Mott who stood up for women’s rights and believed women should be heard, there are so many possible doors open for women today.
Women now don’t have to be stuck in the house all day, or even tied down to a man, so women should be free to spend their time doing whatever they please in college. Our lives don’t revolve around men anymore, so neither should our college experiences. Just because you don’t find love in college, doesn’t mean your four years were any less fulfilled or that your piece of paper that you earned on graduation day is worth any less. What we do after classes and on the weekends is completely dependent on what we want to do. Once women realize that, there’s a certain amount of pressure and weight released off their shoulders.
Whether or not a woman chooses to date someone in college is completely up to them. College already has a certain standard we are expected to reach, which is figuring out what we are going to do after college, whether that be continuing on to grad school or getting a job. In some cases, “Prince Charming” can be real, and not just a fantasy. But if not, seeing a Red Sox Game with your friends at Fenway Park and going to T. Anthony’s for a slice of pizza after sounds like a pretty good way to spend your time in Boston too.