The Student News Site of Rock Bridge High School

Bearing News

The Student News Site of Rock Bridge High School

Bearing News

The Student News Site of Rock Bridge High School

Bearing News

Bad boys, bad boys. What’s a girl to do?

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Feature photo by Jacqueline LeBlanc

When I was 5 years old and in kindergarten, I had my first ever crush.

His name was Colin, and he was the epitome of dreamy. At 3 foot 9 inches, sporting sandy brown hair and the desirable 64 pack of crayons – with the built in sharpener- Colin sent a whirlwind of butterflies fluttering through my stomach.

I didn’t like Colin because he was nice, smart or sensible, for he was none of the above; instead, my adoration of him found its roots in the rude names by which he called me during recess, the way he once pushed me off of the jungle gym and his ongoing insistence that cooties plagued me with “grossness.” The meaner Colin was, the more enchanting he became, and the more hours I spent fantasizing about the next time he might trip me on the wood chips.

My infatuation only grew stronger as he began to rebel by using awful curse words such as “stupid” or by sticking his tongue out at our teacher behind her back. And when he punched my best friend Rachel in her stomach after she told him about how I longed to kiss him in the treehouse, he officially captivated my heart.

You see, my affection for Colin stemmed from a part of myself that- even at the ripe age of 5- was already in clear control of my love life: my bad-boy complex. It’s the little voice that exists inside of every girl, screaming, “If he’s a reckless jerk, then YOU WANT HIM!”

In an ideal world, girls would go for the sweet, smart, respectable men who would always treat them right and stray away from wrongdoing. I should have been repulsed by Colin’s bad-boy persona and instead become enamored with the nice, nerdy guy who always shared his goldfish with me during snack time.

Unfortunately, this is not the way women think and the phrase “nice guys finish lasthas proven true time and time again. In the second grade, it was Trenton, who used far too much hair gel and cheated off of my math homework nearly every day.  In the fourth grade, it was Jackson, who was rumored to have once used the s-word in the presence of a teacher.

And come high school, every guy that drew my attention was practically the poster child for “the boy that your mother warned you about”. It’s not because we girls enjoy being made to feel inferior or are enchanted by delinquents of the law – I certainly don’t. But every girl is subconsciously attracted to the challenges being posed by a rule-breaker with an “I don’t give an F” attitude. Without even realizing it, we begin to crave their validation and appreciation, longing to untangle the intriguing mystery beneath that fraying leather jacket.

So, is the bad-boy complex a voluntary choice of attraction? No. But is it present in every single girl, regardless of whether or not she wants to admit it? Absolutely.

Although this may come as devastating news to the dorkier, four-eyed fellows of the world, guys lacking this “bad-boy” appeal should cease to panic. If anything, they should be glad that they aren’t, at heart, as morally repugnant as those who have such sexy rebellion in their nature. Any guy who wants to can possess the allure of a bad-boy simply by toning down their overwhelming nice-guy facade and leaving a little room for a girl to become enticed.

I don’t mean you should turn into a complete jerk overnight, but embracing your charmingly brazen side once in awhile can definitely help your case. After all, Mr. Right and Mr. Always-does-what’s-right are two very different people.

By Anna Wright

This is labeled as opinion on the desktop version.

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  • E

    Erik MillerSep 28, 2012 at 12:46 pm

    WARNING: You might lose intrest fairly quickly, as this is an opinion based on speculation…..”Does what’s right”? Please, there is no right or wrong, only moral, and even that’s sketchy. Confused? It’s like this: society has a “set” of “rules” that deffers in the world as well as the individual. One society/person might see one thing morally “right” while another society/person might see it to be “normal”. Like whale hunting. It is “morally wrong” because whales are endangered and they are very magestic, yet to many it is a source of food, clothing, and housing. Another example is in this article. Acting “bad” and “tough” are in reality traits to a human being. We wish to prove ourselves to the world, even when we can’t. We desire to let others know that we, as humans, are superior than you. This isn’t gender-based, it’s merely speculation mixed with experience and fact. No one is greater than another, for we are all equal. That is why I appriciate democracy, because everyone has a voice. So this “moral” thing about the “bad boy” is quite simplistic. It is human nature to be like that. It’s why we, of both genders, yell: “YOU DON’T WANNA MESS WITH ME!” (if I had a dollar for everytime I said and heard that, I could buy at least five iPads).

    Reply
  • S

    ShelbySep 13, 2012 at 12:09 pm

    Idk Muhammad, if I brought a guy home with tattoos my dad would NOT be very happy. No offense Daniel!

    Reply
  • M

    Muhammad Al-RawiSep 12, 2012 at 6:51 pm

    Not quite sure how the photo resonates with the story.
    Is it saying that kid is “bad” because he has his name and a lion inked on his back?
    Would I be a “bad” kid of I inscribed my name and a lion on my back too?

    Reply
  • U

    Urmila KutikkadSep 11, 2012 at 7:53 pm

    this is SUCH good writing and so honest too!

    Reply
  • T

    Trisha ChaudharySep 11, 2012 at 7:12 pm

    Man, I wish there was a “like” button for this. I love this story — it’s so true! Also, someone recommended it to me and told me it was hilarious. Nice touch with the video. Now the song’s stuck in my head. I think I’ll go watch that again…and not just for the guy with the 6-pack.

    Reply
  • D

    Daphne YuSep 11, 2012 at 6:30 pm

    oh man, i love your writing style, anna 😛

    Reply
  • M

    Maria KalaitzandonakesSep 11, 2012 at 6:07 pm

    bahhahahaa daniel lee <3.

    Reply