College Girls, College Women

Posted by Naomi Rockler-Gladen Jan 25, 2007

When I first went to college, I thought of myself as a college girl. Then, a few women's studies classes later, I joined the campus bandwagon and decided to call myself a woman instead of a college girl. I decided that "college girl" didn't sound like someone who took herself seriously. The term "college girl" just has too many drunken party girl connotations, like "college girls gone wild." Besides, I wanted to declare my independence and call myself a woman.

Semantic issues aren't as important to me anymore. In fact, I even have a few articles on this site that contain the term "college girl," like Gift Ideas for College Girls.

Nonetheless, this still strikes me as an interesting issue. For male college student, the term "guy" serves as a midway point between "man" and "boy," so we can talk about college guys. Female college students don't have the same option. Yes, there's the word "gal," but has anyone actually used that term since 1953?

When I ask students about this, they often say that they don't consider themselves adults, and therefore they're fine with being girls and guys instead of women and men. Or sometimes they go Britney Spears on me and declare that they're "not a girl, not yet a woman."

I guess that surprises me, because as a college student, I was gung-ho about being an "adult," whatever that means. (Sometimes I'm not so sure I ever became one!) I would hope that to some degree, college students consider themselves to be adults. Even if a student lives at home or is supported financially by parents, you're still responsible for your own well-being now.

When students come into my classroom, I think of them as young adults. If I wanted to teach girls and boys, I would be teaching third grade. (Some days I feel like I am teaching third grade, but that's another story). So, whether or not you call yourself a girl or a woman or a guy or a man or whatever, consider thinking of yourself as a bona fide grown-up.

What do you think? Please join the discussion!