Blazers experience the benefits and drawbacks of commitment-free hook-up. Samantha Baker sits across from her longtime crush Jake Ryan, their faces lit by the candles glowing on the birthday cake in-between them.
This scene from the classic s movie Sixteen Candles ends with Jake asking Samantha out after the two share a kiss.
Oh, the simple days, when romance ruled, and friends were just friends. At Blair, where "going out," "hooking-up" and "friends with benefits" are common, the dating lines have been blurred and romance is no longer required for physical intimacy. While many Blazers still choose committed relationships, friendships that include sexual hook-ups are becoming increasingly common. Friends-with-benefits is not only a rising trend at Blair, but among teens nationwide.
An informal Silver Chips poll of Blair students on Sept. Other Blazers have different approaches when taking a friendship to the next level. Charles Miron, a certified sex therapist and clinical psychologist, explains the allure of these relationships. Friends with benefits allow teens to explore their sexuality, a sort of dress rehearsal for the real thing later on," he says.
Junior Joel Popkin enjoys the independence and laid-back feel of friends-with-benefits. You don't have to go on dates; you don't have to worry about jealousy or cheating, so there's less emotional responsibility. There's no worries," he explains. People think they're in it just for physical attraction but subconsciously they grow attached," explains Susan Yudt, editor of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America's web site for young people seeking information about sexual health.
