Counter-Stereotypical Hysterics

After spending three years living on campus at TCU, I ventured my way off campus by living with six other guys in a house behind the Bluebonnet circle. Although it is impossible to be productive at home, I have enjoyed the many laughable moments at our home. I would consider the guys living in my house as six of my closest friends. We have spent countless hours together not only this year but also the years before this one.

Chris has become one of my closest friends this year. We share a lot of commonalities in terms of post-grad plans and interests. Living so close to him has helped us grow very close. Many of my favorites memories from college are staying up late and talking to him about life, the future, goals, and relationships.

After getting to know him well, I have learned so much about him as a person. He is full of compassion, yet is incredibly light-hearted. To give some background, he has been very successful at TCU as he was the previous president of NLP and a Mr. TCU finalist. Additionally, he has continued to do long-distance with his girlfriend from high school. He and his girlfriend are from California. She currently attends Stanford University. Chris frequently comments on being waitlisted at Harvard to compensate for his inferiority relative to his girlfriend’s success at attending a more “prestigious” university.

A moment of uncontrollable laughter occurred during one of the weekends that his long-distance girlfriend came to visit. His girlfriend’s name is Lauren, and she recently accepted a job at Bain & Company consulting job in Dallas to be close to Chris post-graduation as he took a job at Goldman Sachs in Dallas as well. Both of these companies are well-regarded in the financial industry. Although to those who know the industry well, Lauren’s position as a consultant relative to Chris’s role of being a private wealth manager is slightly elevated. As close friends of Chris, my roommates and I are aware of his slight insecurity relative to his girlfriend’s success at Stanford and getting an incredible post-grad job (not to mention, she is two inches taller than him).

One night, five of the roommates were hanging out in the living room of our humble abode, enjoying conversation alongside Chris’s girlfriend, Lauren. Chris made a remark, giving his girlfriend for loving him too much to consider moving away to California to Dallas. It was remarkable. Who chooses to leave California for Dallas? The weather alone should be a reason enough to stick around in California. As Chris’s ego was boosted with his girlfriend committing to living near him post-grad, she wittily replied: “Chris, don’t forget that I’m making more money than you.”

Naturally, my roommates and I burst into hysterics. Chris’s taller girlfriend emasculated him in front of his closest friends. It’s stereotypical for the male of the home to be the “breadwinner” of the household, so it was hilarious to hear his girlfriend counterstereotype the situation. Her height and her wittiness brought great joy to the roommates and me. Even Chris himself could not hold back laughs. His girlfriend called him out in front of his friends, which takes a lot of guts. We all appreciated the jest.

Following this incident, we have continued to give Chris grief regarding this situation. Chris himself is very successful, but the witty remark by his girlfriend put him back in his place. Thinking of this situation continues to bring me joy. It is quite humorous for your friend to get called out by his girlfriend, especially regarding such a stereotypically opposite scenario. All of the roommates are thankful for Lauren’s humor and wit.