Idiot kids — I’m sure you know some of those. Tell me, would you date someone with a lame, suicidal obsession with spindle wheels? This past Monday night I attended the final meeting of my most beloved club, where we ate and laughed and just generally made merry as we watched an animated childhood favorite: “Sleeping Beauty.”
I did not really notice when I was little, but Aurora is not the only airhead in this movie. Prince Phillip has some screws loose as well, considering he’s into crazy chicks who dance around barefoot in the middle of a forest and talk to animals. Even I have a tendency to converse with my animal pals, but Aurora’s case borders on the weird. Is this a sound way to choose a future bride? And children, if a man sings to and dances with you and you’ve but known him for a day, do not, for sanity’s sake, do not tell him you live with three less-than-stable old ladies in the middle of nowhere then invite him to dinner.
Maybe we can’t relate to the details, but something in this scenario rings familiar. Have you and a couple of friends ever just jumped into the car of someone who is a friend of a friend of a friend? Did that girl with the long legs or that guy with the perfect abs ask you out five minutes into your first conversation? If so, I hate to break it to ya, but you have sunk to the same level as our own foresight-challenged Prince Phillip.
I get it. We are young, crazy and sometimes shiny hair and a good set of teeth make you want to start penciling in plans for “I do.” If you are going to jump into a relationship, cover your bases. Do background checks. Find out blood types. Just because he has been in your classes for a year does not mean he is certifiably sane. I speak from experience (but that is a traumatic background story you really do not want to hear. Do not even think of asking me because I will tell you and you will wish you had never asked.)
I know any of you currently in a relationship are rolling your eyes at me, but really: what do you know, and how do you know it?
A sparkling castle with funny, drunk minstrels may be in your future, but I would not count on it. I hold this particularly true for international students — be wary of cute American guys and gals asking you to go somewhere spur of the moment. Holbrook Mohr has written a series of articles for The Associated Press, on the subject of labor and sex exploitation of international students on J-1 visas. Most of the threats to these students come from their sponsors, but it is not unheard of for another student to take advantage of a non-American peer.
Generally, I prefer for government to keep its grubby paws off of things, but circumstances such as these are when it needs to step up to the plate and assume responsibility. All we as students can do is make ourselves more aware and, for your own sake, know the person driving the car. Fortunately, the state department is limiting and reregulating J-1 visas, but that doesn’t mean danger no longer lurks, especially among non-corporate entities.
I am not trying to instill paranoia, but I would encourage a general sense of caution. More often than not, your romantic pursuers are the genuine article and sincerely mean no harm. But make sure you know him or her before you go anywhere with your potential beau.
If you want some good, safe interaction among the sexes, go to an airsoft tournament and shoot the creep dropping pickup lines. Seriously, they have those here. Nine forty-five a.m. on Saturdays.
Hannah Manning is a freshman majoring in general liberal arts. She can be contacted at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu.