So I’m sitting in the library with a bunch of friends, trying to brainstorm ideas for a column. Lots of great ideas are getting tossed around, such as simultaneous orgasms, sex on the beach and picking up girls in bars — an epic saga, coming soon to a Pipe Dream near you. What caught my attention in this whirlwind of activity, however, were the many beautiful ladies wandering through Bartle Library on this very beautiful spring day.

As I took in this majestic sight, I realized that the girls that I was most attracted to were the ones who seemed the most down-to-earth and, unfortunately, also the most unapproachable.

Upon talking to several other males throughout the course of my travels, I came to the realization that many men, like me, are attracted to the girl-next-door type. Those normal girls you know from class or that live down the hall from you, that are awesome and really fun to hang out with, but also seem like they have no interest in a romantic relationship. Well, obviously, college guys have needs, and when we can’t get the girl we want to fulfill those needs, we’ll get them fulfilled by a more willing source. The world keeps turning, life goes on and everyone goes home happy.

Except it seems nice girls complain that they can’t get a nice guy, or they wonder why all the guys they like always end up with slutty or bitchy girls. And our hypothetical nice girl from down the hall remains painfully single, while she and our perceived nice guy wonder why.

“Why would he go out with that horrible girl when there are nice girls like me around?” she might cry to the heavens — or to her best guy friend, who is really nice but whom she views as just a friend.

The truth is, in this day and age, many women aren’t afraid to be aggressive in their pursuit of a guy. Now, I’m not saying that these girls don’t want to be pursued themselves, but many women are taking away some of the uncertainty for guys, which is just great if you’re a guy, but not so great if you’re one of the females who hasn’t caught on to the trend.

While confidence is seen as one of the most desirable traits in men, it is quite often also desirable in women. Not necessarily to the level where she “wears the pants” in the relationship, but a clear, non-cryptic hint that she’s interested in him as well may just be the thing to get that guy to pursue her, instead of the girl who puts out on a Friday night Downtown.

So the next time you’re wondering why the guy you like is going after some scantily clad drunk chick instead of a nice, wonderful, down-to-earth girl like you, maybe consider some advice I’ve given in the past. Stop whining like a little punk and go after what you want before someone else takes it, because chances are, he wants you just as much as you want him.