Chivalry

By Sydney Bennett

In “acknowledgement” of Valentine’s Day which is coming up and coincidently is a free day for students, I’ve decided to write a blog that’s a little related. The theme of this blog has been on my mind for a few months now and my mind and fingers are amped to release it. Can’t you tell by the way I’m leading up to it? No, it’s not how V-Day is overrated and how unfortunate it is for singles, or even how commercialized the holiday is. No, my blog topic is a little different. This blog will about life. In my eyes chivalry has life. Thus, it is definitely not dead, like the common quote says.

I’ve been so inspired at how my college years are teaching me this. Last week sometime I tweeted about how a guy holding a door for me on a college campus gives me hope in humanity. Okay, so I was being a bit dramatic. But, for a guy or even another person to do such a kind act really touches my heart. This happens to me all the time on campus. Guys hold doors in the main buildings and residence halls for girls and I think that’s a perfect example on how chivalry is still breathing.

I have to mention though, for girls that think that gentlemen don’t exist these days, that we certainly have some responsibility. I always say that women hold the standard and set the bar for guys to work up to in dating and relationships. One example of this is recently I was in the diner on the main campus and I was just walking, minding my own business. A group of guys that I presume were freshman yelled what they considered greetings at me to get my attention. I didn’t respond to them because I mean honestly I didn’t think that the “Ay girl” or other remarks deserved my attention. As I continued to walk I heard one of the guys tell the other, “You have to try something different with her.” It made me laugh, but it’s so true. If we want to see the kindness and gentlemen qualities men and young men are capable of we as women have to make them a requirement.

I hear young women my age and those older who say that all men are the same and no gentlemen really exist in our generation, but I beg to argue. The summer after my first year of college I went on my first date with my now boyfriend. I didn’t really know what to expect and it was all pretty much a surprise, I was just told to dress up. Just to share a few tidbits of the night, the date included dinner at one of Chicago’s nicest, The Signature Room, followed by a horse and carriage ride. Yes, this was the first date. As I look back I can totally appreciate that date and the fact that I am with a gentleman that values me. But more importantly, I realize that good guys do exist. Chivalry is still alive and can exist for guys and relationships in our generation.

Sydney Bennett is a junior from Chicago, Illinois. She is a Mass Communications major with minors in both Sociology and Art & Design. She is President of Ambassador's for Christ(AFC) and a member of their Gospel choir at Saint Xavier.