SDSU men prove that chivalry is not dead

By Amanda Siefken

Anytime I am approaching a building, if there is a male nearby, I rarely ever have to get the door for myself. This is something that I was not used to before coming to school in August and I have been delightfully shocked by it all year long. Now that it is the end of the year, looking back on all the times that a guy has held a door for me, I am really going to miss this kind gesture over the summer. 

Being from a bigger town, I do not know if the reason for the chivalry is guys being raised in smaller towns with a different mentality, or if it really does just come down to how they are raised. For the past few years the phrase “Chivalry is dead” has been floating around girls’ conversations, but that is because they are hoping for a guy to notice that girls are less than enthused by the lack of real gentlemen in today’s society. 

Now guys, girls are not asking for you to stand every time that we walk in the room, or constantly tell us that our hair looks good, but take a hint from a few of the other men here at SDSU. Having a single door held for a girl can completely change her mood and even her day. Even if it is just so you can see her walk in front of you, the gesture will earn major respect and gratitude. 

I am not the only girl that has noticed, either: girls all over are noticing the chivalry presented and the difference in attitudes towards the women here on campus. The few extra seconds that guys are taking all over campus to help girls and just be respectful is astounding. I really started noticing this once the weather began to suck: when no one wanted to be outside, guys were still willing to wait for a girl and hold the door for her. 

I am proud to be from a campus in which the guys respect the girls enough to do the little things like holding the door, so this is a giant THANK YOU to all the gentlemen here at SDSU. There are always exceptions to generalities, but I am pleased to be able to say that the gentlemen here in the great city of Brookings outweigh the boys who have not quite realized that being nice is kind of a big deal. 

Just last week, I was outside The Union and saw a couple walking in. The girl’s boyfriend walked right into The Union without even thinking about her or holding the door. The look on her face was the definition of priceless, and I was not the only one to see this act. A guy nearby saw this shocking scene, ran over and grabbed the door for her, and again, priceless facial expressions all around. Her boyfriend had given up the opportunity to be a gentleman and a real man stepped up to the job. This was eye-opening to everyone that got to see it, and I hope her boyfriend learned that maybe holding the door open matters. Guys: hold the doors. And those who already are: thank you for proving that chivalry is not dead. 

 

Amanda Siefken is the Visual Editor for The Collegian. She can be reached at [email protected]