To the Man Who Honks at Me,

Hello, I'm the 19-year-old girl you honk at from the comfort of your car. I figured it's about time we talk. First thing's first, let's get one thing straight - this isn't a love letter. Sorry to burst your bubble, but the romantic way you slow down your car to "get a better look," or the grand gesture of honking at me, or, yes, believe it or not, the adoring wave from the passenger seat window, just hasn't exactly won me over.

I'm really not an easily offended person, either. I also don't identify as a super active feminist nor someone who takes any man's compliment as a perverted insult. But in this situation, where you honk at me on my way back from work, I can't help but say that I feel annoyed. I feel uncomfortable. And, honestly, I feel confused.

You are driving through a college campus, so to be quite frank I just don't understand what you were expecting. Students walk everywhere. Not to mention, I'm nothing special, and this school is full of beautiful young women, so the fact that you get so excited to see me walking down the street is beyond me. But, even if it was Miss America on the sidewalk in a skimpy bikini and perfect blowout (compared to me in my work clothes and backpack), I would still be confused as to why you would honk or slow down. You're in a car, driving fifty-some miles past us...I'm walking to class, preoccupied with the hundred-million more important things I need to worry about. What do you hope to accomplish? That I'm going to lustfully chase after you, down the road because your honk just won my heart? Maybe I'm being pessimistic, but I have yet to meet the old married couple whose story begins with "he honked at me when I was walking to class..."

Whether or not I understand you is irrelevant, though. Whatever reasoning you have, fine, so be it, but for real, it's just so annoying. When you see me, I am tired and mustering up every ounce of motivation in my body to make it to my least-favorite class of the week. Sometimes it's raining, sometimes it's cold, and sometimes the heels I chose for work that day are killing my feet by that time. The last thing I want to be is objectified or be bothered by your silly game.

Sometimes, you take it to a whole new level. You slow down when you pass. Words cannot explain how uncomfortable that makes me feel. I'm usually someone who easily feels comfortable places. But, once again, you're the exception. I live here, just like you. I've made a home here, just like you. Now, I feel uncomfortable here, because of you.

I get that for you, this whole ordeal is probably a harmless 3 seconds out of your day, but for me, for girls everywhere, it's so much more.

So, Mystery Car Honker, the morale of the story is - stop. Stop honking, stop waving at me through your car window, and stop slowing down your car when you pass. On behalf of girls everywhere - it isn't flattering, it isn't complimentary, and it certainly isn't attractive.

It's just annoying.

Sincerely,

The Girl You Honk At