Hookups among College Students - Essay Example

Confining the meaning of hookups to the whites’ definition, in this paper I will describe the hookup scene among the college women, and its implications among them. To achieve its objectives, this paper will adhere to concepts presented by Simon and Gagnon's theory of sexual script among college students. Sex is a personal orientation, which is an individual’s decision. However, certain factors affect people’s decisions and perceptions about sexuality. Mainly, peer pressure affects college student’s thinking about sexuality.

Other factors highlighted by Simon and Gagnon's theory of sexual script incorporate symbols in human sexuality. These scholars pointed out three dimensions that script sexuality. Cultural scenarios, interpersonal scenarios, and intra-psychic scenarios significantly contribute to the definition of human sexuality. Simon and Gagnon argue that sexual feelings not only happen within the body but also require meanings and symbols, which provide cues and clues that contribute to the development of sexuality.

To a large extend, these factors affect women’s perception of hookups among college students. Cultural scenarios define the various historical developmental periods of a group of people as well as social changes experienced in a group of people. The transition period from high school to college increases the likelihood of hook up behavior among women. In fact, various studies point out that hookups among the first-year students are more rampant than in the subsequent year students. The definition of college life is responsible for this reality.

According to Katz et al. (2012), students associate college with partying and having fun. While some of the students may indulge in excessive drinking and others in drug abuse, a large number of them are involved in hookups. Statistics reveal that close to 78% of all first-year students engage in hookups. Part of these practice casual sexual orientations such as touching, kissing, and at times oral sex. A number also practice vaginal sex, though not in large numbers. The socialization scene in colleges is responsible.

The dwelling places of the students are close enough to allow students to shift from one place to another and organize quick visits. Increasingly, however, women are likely to indulge in hookups due to the gender ratio in the school. Some feel obliged to have sexual intercourse with men to keep them to themselves, while others give in to pressure from men. Culture however affects women’s thinking and perception about hookups. In the college, for instance, the elder groups introduce hookups to the first-year students.

Most of these are the female students who feel compelled to give in to the demands of the elder men in the college. Most of these hookups between the first-year students and the elder male end up with the parties having vaginal sex. Even race affects the hookup scene among the students. White students are likely to get involved in hookups more than blacks are. The definition accorded to the term “hook up” between the two groups leads to this difference. Although interpersonal scenarios are rare among women, whenever they arise, they have a significant impact on the students.

For instance, rape cases in female students affect their likelihood of engaging in hookups. Rape takes away the trust of the women in men. Although as a practice a hook-up does not involve sex, there are instances where it leads to sex. In rape cases, these women do not share the same trust as that shared with those who have never faced the vice. Therefore, they mostly avoid such scenarios whenever they can to avoid being victims of forced sexual intercourse.  Intra-psychic scenarios describe how personal sexual ‘turn-ons’ and sexual fantasies grow in individuals.

Mostly, having a crush on particular male students increases the chances of women involving in hookups. These are quite dangerous as the male student can take advantage of the women, especially if he is aware that she already likes him. In many situations, things go wrong with these women as they find the men sexually abusing them and later abandoning them. Other women will try hooking up out of curiosity, just to experience the feeling, while others want to experience what their friends experienced especially from a common male student.

Good-looking male students are victims of such situations, where females will have hookups with them out of curiosity. Although many female students engage themselves in hookups, it has a number of implications on them. According to his assertion, Bogle (2008) writes, “women who hook up remain at risk for developing negative reputations, and "sluts" are considered to be acceptable sexual but not dating partners.” These women suffer social humiliation from the male students. However, they keep indulging in such practices only to satisfy their sexual desires.

Conclusively, hookups are a common practice among college men and women. Although there is an assumption that men are more sexually active than women, they engage in hookups in similar numbers. Oblivious of the discrimination they are likely to face, female students increasingly engage in sexual demands from their male counterparts.