College Students Thoughts on Dating and Steve Harvey’s “Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man”
The film adaptation of Steve Harvey’s bestselling advice guide Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man hit theaters on April 20. “Think Like a Man” will go down as a rare winner in a genre Hollywood has shown to be just short of impressive: black romantic comedies.
The film knocked the Hunger Games out of its number one spot, debuting at 33 million. The stunning cast included Gabrielle Union, Micheal Ealy, Megan Good, and Taraji P. Henson. Like other recent films such as New Year’s Eve and Valentine’s Day, Act Like a Lady, Think Like A Man’sall-star cast lured in many viewers. College students were one of the main groups of viewers that flocked the theatres.
In response to the films tagline Let the Games Begin, senior nursing student Joshua Jackson stated, “Honestly, I would say about 1% of college students aren’t in relationships because they are too time consuming. I wouldn’t blame it on the games people play either. If you like someone you find ways to work things out.”
With college comes added independence, responsibilities and changes in relationship ideologies. There are added pressures to have sex, as well as, pressures to truly consider the future when dating during these prime years. Movies and television shows constantly show love stories beginning in college. However, “Think Like a Lady” gives an untraditional perspective that students found refreshing.
“I liked how the characters figured things out when they were older. It was more realistic. Right now, I think as college students we have an excuse to be more chill and experiment. I’m more about dating than being in a relationship,” said freshman Tori Halterman, after seeing the film.
Whereas in previous generations college was a time in which serious lifelong relationships began, today’s youth takes a much lighter approach to love and life. Everybody can relate to the characters in the film from unfortunate dating experiences. Some of the “types” of guys in the film include the “Mama’s Boy,” the man who wants nothing but sex, the big dreamer with no plans, and the immature guy. The stereotypes of females in the film included the pushover, the wannabe wife, and the workaholic. Freshman Christie Fumbah said, “Think Like a Man was a great movie. It didn’t give any new information but it definitely highlighted the good and bad trends in relationships. Overall the films message was less about love and more about respect.”
One of the main messages that the film pushed was the 90 day rule urging women to wait 90 days before giving up the “cookie”. This message is one that applies most directly to this generations college students who are more laid back in the dating scene. Ama Yawson, a critic from thegrio.com, argued that the 90 day rule which stemmed from the Ford Motor Plants requirement for workers to labor for 90 days before receiving benefits is idiotic.
“This advice seems idiotic because a sexual act is strikingly dissimilar from a Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance card. Sex is hopefully a mutually beneficial experience. A woman who is empowered with respect to her own sexuality will likely decide to have sex based on the level of emotional intimacy shared and not the date on a calendar.”
College students Tori Halterman, Joshua Jackson, and Christie Fumbah all agreed to disagree on the 90 day rule. The belief of most college students is that becoming sexually involved with someone should be a mutual decision based on good judgment and good feelings.
More Women on College Campuses Equals the Decline in Relationships
Although the 90 day rule is unpopular among college students, it may serve as a deterrent to the shocking and growing numbers of students with sexually transmitted diseases. One in four colleges students have STDs, and each year the CDC estimates that 19 million new sexually transmitted infections occur. Most of these infections are among people between the ages of 15 and 24. By now college students should know to wrap it up.
Pre-nursing student Christie Fumbah said, “The 90 day rule is a little unrealistic. It was great in the movie [Think Like a Man] but in reality I feel like there are so many more guys than girls that the guys don’t really have to wait.”
According to USA Today the percentage of women attending colleges in America is 57 percent. Men make up 43 percent of college students. The rising number of women on campus creates an environment that is more openly sexual, often times heavily influenced by the media. Regnerus, the co-author of Premarital sex in America: How Young Americans Meet, and Think About Marrying commented in USA Today that, “The women wind up competing with each other for access to the men, and often, that means things become sexual quicker.”
