It was an evening I will never forget. It was one of my last nights on campus and everyone was celebrating the end of the school year. There were multiple parties going on. The one I chose was a themed party, a toga party. You see toga parties all the time in the movies, and you'd think it would feel clichéd actually going to one, but that night I just felt really confident. I had worked hard to wrap my sheet in a way that didn't make me look frumpy while also trying to look as modest as possible. The party was awesome. So many of my friends were there that I had no problem just completely relaxing and having a wonderful time. However, later that night, things changed.

I was walking down campus back to my dorm for the night with my best friend. As we walked down campus, we passed a group of young men. I recognized a few of them but didn't know anyone well enough to say hello. As my best friend and I walked by, the cat-calling started. Most young women my age have experienced cat-calling enough for it not to be a troubling occurrence, so we just ignored them and kept walking. The boys' reaction to me not giving them the time of day is what shocked me. Instead of moving on from my brush-off, this group of young men yelled "SLUTS" down the middle of campus. I was shocked and angry that a stranger would call me something so derogatory, and the encounter ended in me flipping them off and screaming "F*** you" right back at them. What I wish I had done instead is this.

I wish I had calmly turned around, walked right up to them, looked them in the eye and said, "I have one question for you, why do you think what you just said is okay?"

I'm sure they wouldn't have been expecting me to face them like this, so I'm assuming my reply to the previous question would've been silence. I would have then continued with:

Let me give you some good information, no matter who you are, women are not objects that you get to use for your own benefit. Women should not be labeled; they should be treasured. Women are kind, generous, and beautiful human beings who deserve as much respect as you can possibly give. So before you go around labeling random girls who ignore your objectification as "sluts," think of your mother, sister, cousin or any girl you care about being labeled as something so derogatory. You don't know me and I don't know you, so there is no reason you should be making assumptions of me after a three-second encounter. Based on my limited experience around you, I could assume that you are all just a bunch of low-life jerks who know nothing about kindness or respect but, I know that we shouldn't make rash decisions on someone's character. I choose to give you the benefit of the doubt and believe you all have something good to offer the world. It was very nice talking to you. Have a good evening.

I'll continue to dream that the look on their faces would be redemption enough.