Societal acceptance of premarital sex predates our generation by several decades; yet adults still look down on our generation for its so called “hook up mentality.” Why does this hypocritical attitude exist? It may be because these flings can result in unwanted pregnancies, STIs and emotional heartbreak, but it may also be because older generations have learned that we sell ourselves short when we indiscriminately hook up with people. They know we deserve to be viewed as more than a warm body — we deserve to be loved. By not waiting to physically give ourselves to someone we genuinely care about, we’re disrespecting our personal intrinsic value, not to mention that of our partner. We’re using each other. And that’s what probably offends them the most. We were meant for more than that.
Here at the College of William and Mary we work hard in our classes and extra-curriculars to prepare for our future careers, but what are we doing to prepare for our future marriages? We all want a successful marriage as much as we want a successful career. Just like skipping classes, hooking up is also detrimental to our preparation for marriage. Having uncommitted, multiple-partner, pleasure-seeking sex will not prepare us for a monogamous, committed, sacrificial marriage in the future. How are we supposed to go from viewing sex as casual and meaningless to serious and significant on command? The idea is similar to expecting that poor study habits will simply become better in the future. The divorce epidemic is not just the problem of our parents’s generation — it’ll be our problem too if we view sex the same way they did. Let’s learn from our parents’ mistakes.
In a world of instant gratification, let’s have the patience to wait; it’s respectful to ourselves, and to our future spouses.