Opinions are split on hook-ups

It’s easy to spot a trend when it makes its way into popular music, and hookup culture is no exception to this. The Wombats, a well-known British alternative-pop band, released “Jump into the Fog,” a song based entirely on a hookup. “It’s not a big problem with me, love. You don’t look that hygienic anyway. I’m only here because I want to twist the structure of my average day,” the lead singer croons. But for something that is largely represented in media, it’s difficult to pinpoint the causes and forms of hookup culture.

“We don’t date before getting into relationships and we really don’t date in general. I feel like it also has to do with the fact that we talk about our sexual and personal relationships a lot, maybe unnecessarily, and when a lot of people are talking about it all at once, regardless of the context, it seems like everyone’s doing it” said John Ingram, a senior majoring in sociology.

Last year, Time magazine wrote an article about hookup culture based on a study by the University of Portland. The article, entitled “Another Study Shows That ‘Hookup Culture’ Is a Myth” states, “A study published in the Journal of Sex Research compares a survey on sexual practices from 1988-1996 to one from 2004-2012. Researchers from the University of Portland found that respondents from the later survey did not report more sexual partners after the age 18, more frequent sex or more partners during the past year than respondents from the earlier survey.”

So if young people aren’t any more promiscuous than they were a few decades ago, why does it seem as though there are fewer people in committed relationships?  The culture of courting and romancing has turned into a culture of casually fading from a hookup to a relationship. The notion still prevails whether or not it’s as true as people think.

“I think hookup culture definitely exists and continues to grow in popularity for millenials. A variety of apps like Tinder, Blendr, Grindr and J-swipe are changing the way people think about hooking up, becoming less taboo and less of a serious commitment,” said Ryan Bernstein, a junior            philosophy, politics and law major.

Nowadays, any form of romantic or sexual relationships can utilize a plethora of online sites and mobile apps to find their next partner. Tinder, one of the most well-known hookup apps, was estimated to have more than 50 million active users in 2014. Many other apps such as Grindr, DOWN and Pure, exist to connect people with others who share at least one commonality: the desire to get laid. The perception of these apps as being for hookups only ensures that those seeking more commitment are less likely to use them. Their hookup nature is aided by the fact that the primary information provided about each person is a picture of him or her. Even for those not interested in online platforms, this popularity of these apps represents an evolution of dating and courtship methods. Nowadays, students, and society, are less restrictive about their boundaries and requirements and more open to discussing these things with others.

“People drink at parties to get wasted and forget about everything and have a good time with friends. And it definitely helps people feel more comfortable hooking up,” Monica Godecki said, a freshman majoring in business administration.

In addition to the lessening of inhibitions in sexual mentalities, the use of the alcohol has been a great contributor. A study done by the Journal of Sex Research on the sexual events of 300 college women found that “alcohol use was not very common during romantic sex: 20 percent of romantic encounters involved some drinking and only five percent involved heavy drinking (defined as four or more drinks). Hookups, on the other hand, were a different story: women drank during 53 percent of their hookups, and drank heavily during 38 percent of all hookups.”

Whether or not you believe hookup culture exists, it’s undeniable that the dating game has evolved. Between technological advances, drinking and an increase in the amount of women attending universities, college students are adapting to the ever-changing world by being more open and less rigid about their sexual experiences.