Growing up, I have always been surrounded by guys. I have three older brothers, and two of my best childhood friends were boys. I sometimes spent time with girls… but not much. I guess you can just call me “one of the guys.” While I’ve always wondered what it would be like to have a sister, growing up around guys is full of benefits.
1. You learn how to play video games really well. This is honestly the first thing that came to mind when I thought of the influence that my brothers and guy best friends have had on me. Not only am I good at them, I also enjoy playing them and can beat my boyfriend in "Star Wars Battlefront" (haha). Whether my enjoyment in electronic simulation is a blessing or a curse, I have five beloved boys to thank.
2. You learn how to be patient while they play “one more round.” Patience is important, and mine was always tested while I waited on my friend to finish one more (more like two or three more) video game before we did anything else.
3. You acquire a talent for sports. This one is obvious. I would be awful at football and basketball if it weren’t for my two best guy friends.
4. You learn how to deal with their poor hygiene. Dirty bathrooms, clothes on the floor, plates and cups from yesterday’s meal: guys can be extremely gross. And we can’t forget about the constant farting and burping…
5. You find out what they like and dislike in girls. While girls should never change who they are or what they like for a guy, it’s always interesting to see what guys like and don’t like in girls. In middle school, I came to find out that, yes, guys do think UGGs are hideous.
6. They can help you with boy issues. While they usually don’t want to hear about anything to do with your guy problems, it is possible for you to sit them down and make them help you. Once you have gotten this far, they are experts in determining if a guy is genuinely interested in you or if you are just one of the girls on his list, for example. But most importantly, they are always there to tell you that you are too good for anyone.
7. They are extremely protective. One of my brothers and best guy friends in particular never fail to let me know what they think about a boyfriend. My oldest brother often offers to beat anyone up who deserves it, and the great thing is that he really isn’t joking.
8. You basically never get into fights with guy friends. Like most girls, guys don’t get their feelings hurt or get angry often, creating a drama-free friendship.
*** While many of these items are generalizations, I recognize that not all males have these characteristics. These are just my observations from my own experiences with my brothers and friends.
