2008 Woodie Awards
I like my men like I like my wine...aged
Rachel Grinenko and Alexis Kaczmarczik
Issue date: 1/31/08 Section: Life!
Let's face it: if you're sixteen and you're dating a twenty-one year old, that's creepy. But if you're twenty-one and you're dating a twenty-six year old, suddenly it's more acceptable. It's the same age difference, but there's an unspoken social rule that once you reach eighteen, you're allowed to date older people without those bitchy girls in class whispering nasty things about you. Plus, once you reach eighteen, it's also not against the law anymore. But that's just a technicality.
Dating an older guy can have lots of advantages, but it can also have some disadvantages. For one, the college lifestyle is so far removed from real life that there may be some conflict between his 9 to 5 and your Thirsty Thursdays.
He's not going to understand why you complain about 10 a.m. classes and how much your books cost when he's worrying about promotions and paying the rent on time. He's inviting you to weddings and ten-year high school reunions, and you're buying a ticket for him to Senior Ball.
Jealousy can be an issue when you go off to a bar at night where any guy can hit on you, and you get upset when he doesn't want to talk to you when you call at 3 a.m. in a drunken stupor.
Also, he has many more ex-girlfriends and sexual partners than you do. While experience isn't necessarily a bad thing, it can be slightly nauseating to think about all the other girls that came before you.
Bringing home a guy who could potentially be closer in age to your dad isn't always going to go over smoothly. People could think you're a gold digger or desperate or both.
Worse, your mom could pull the he's-just-taking-advantage-of-you card, and your friends could think that he's just creepy.
Still, those comments are usually reserved for an Anna Nicole Smith type relationship. When it comes down to it, it's a matter of maturity, not age.
Everyone knows that women mature faster than men. This could be why many girls feel that they're more compatible with someone five to ten years older than them.
Dating an older guy can have lots of advantages, but it can also have some disadvantages. For one, the college lifestyle is so far removed from real life that there may be some conflict between his 9 to 5 and your Thirsty Thursdays.
He's not going to understand why you complain about 10 a.m. classes and how much your books cost when he's worrying about promotions and paying the rent on time. He's inviting you to weddings and ten-year high school reunions, and you're buying a ticket for him to Senior Ball.
Jealousy can be an issue when you go off to a bar at night where any guy can hit on you, and you get upset when he doesn't want to talk to you when you call at 3 a.m. in a drunken stupor.
Also, he has many more ex-girlfriends and sexual partners than you do. While experience isn't necessarily a bad thing, it can be slightly nauseating to think about all the other girls that came before you.
Bringing home a guy who could potentially be closer in age to your dad isn't always going to go over smoothly. People could think you're a gold digger or desperate or both.
Worse, your mom could pull the he's-just-taking-advantage-of-you card, and your friends could think that he's just creepy.
Still, those comments are usually reserved for an Anna Nicole Smith type relationship. When it comes down to it, it's a matter of maturity, not age.
Everyone knows that women mature faster than men. This could be why many girls feel that they're more compatible with someone five to ten years older than them.