The “Bro Code” is an unspoken set of laws that men use to interact and coexist with each other. Women, who think about the world differently than men, as it goes, may not understand how crucial the Bro Code is to male communication.
“Women will never understand because they think too deeply about things,” senior Theo Agnew said. “Men are cut and dry. There’s not as much emotion behind decisions. Bro Code is something you’re brought up learning.”
EXES
Ex-girlfriends are always a tricky subject, and adding your best friends to the mix only increases the confusion. Old feelings for past lovers die slow, and although the relationship may be long since over, there are still rules in place regarding who has access to an old fling.
“You definitely have to ask your friend before approaching his ex,” Agnew said. “There should be a year or two grace period. If he doesn’t care, then it’s all good. But if he’s still talking about her and showing feelings for her, you can’t go there.”
Sophomore Justin Green also said exes are a tricky situation and should be handled in a simple manner.
“You have to ex-communicate the exes of your homies,” Green said. “If he doesn’t talk to her, you don’t talk to her. If she’s his enemy, she’s your enemy too.”
Aside from ex-girlfriends, there is also a strategic way to handle the opposite sex when two friends are mutually interested in one woman. Sophomore Marquez Orr said the issue can be dealt with in a civilized manner.
“There’s the dibs rule,” Orr said. “If a friend wants to talk to a girl first, you have to let him do it.”
Agnew didn’t believe it was that simple.
“May the best man win if you’re interested in the same girl,” Agnew said. “If she chooses him over you, you have no choice but to fall back and play your role. But if he slips up, you have to be there just in case.”
Sophomore Michael Smith disagreed with both parties, looking out for the best interest of the friendship.
“If you really want her and he does as well, you should probably both leave her alone so the competition doesn’t come between the friendship,” Smith said. “You should never lose a friend over a female.”
WINGMEN
Pursuing women with your closest friends often involves group encounters, and Agnew said playing the “Wingman” role is just a part of the Bro Code, even in the face of less-than-appealing partners.
“If me handling the less attractive friend means that my boy can enjoy himself that night, I’m down,” Agnew said. “But he definitely owes me one. Next time we’re out, he has to take one for the team just like I did.”
Green had a more formulaic approach to the situation.
“You play the wingman to a certain extent,” Green said. “You entertain the other girl and give good conversation, but keep it just light enough to allow your homeboy to handle his business.”
Even when handling potentially incriminating information on behalf of a friend, Agnew said there is a code to honor.
“Always defend your boy, regardless of the situation,” Agnew said. “Even if it’s a lie, always defend your friend first. His girlfriend should never get any potentially devastating information from you.”
RESTROOMS
The restroom is a place where men get in to do their business and get out. There was an agreement between male students that the restroom is no place for jokes or friendly banter.
“You should definitely not talk to me while I’m in the bathroom,” Smith said. “Especially if you don’t know the guy.”
Agnew said he feels the exact same way.
“There’s a mutual understanding that you should have at least two stalls between you and the next person,” Agnew said. “Minimal to no conversation is a must. A simple head nod is the most interaction there should ever be.”
PARTYING
Partying is one of the key factors of manhood, as men need to release repressed stress and enjoy themselves in unrestricted environments. Although men should enjoy their freedom and welcome good times with their boys, there are still rules they must follow when conducting themselves
“You should be fashionably late to the party,” Agnew said. “And always bring your own party favors. You should never be one of those guys leeching off of other people at a party, especially if you’re bringing a few friends with you.”
Although Agnew said men should always bring their own party favors, he didn’t forget to remind that it should all be taken in moderation.
“Your homie being sloppy drunk is a breach of guy code,” Agnew said. “You’re supposed to be having a good time, not babysitting. You take care of him if he needs it, but he definitely owes you another one.”
Orr said that even though a friend may have to be taken care of, that doesn’t make him impervious to the consequences of his actions.
“You have to take care of your friend if he ever goes overboard in terms of partying,” Orr said. “But he should definitely know that he’s going to get messed with when he passes out. You can draw on his face a little bit or something, but make sure none of it happens in public.”
Bro Code is a very complex and varied set of rules that govern the way a man lives his life. There is a sense of responsibility that comes with bearing this knowledge, and although women may never understand it, it is critical to the survival of the male species.
“I think it’s essential that women think about things in a different way than men,” Agnew said. “It’s what distinguish us as the sexes, and if we both thought the same way, that would lead to many problems. The Bro Code is essential because all men must be on the same accord when it comes to life.”
MONEY
As a man, there are few things more important than money. It allows a man to do what he wants, when he wants, wherever he wants. Sometimes activity becomes a problem when your right hand man is lacking funds, but Smith said it’s nothing that can’t be handled easily.
“If you need me to cover you if we’re getting something to eat, I’ll hook you up,” Smith said. “But I expect you to come through for me someday, whether it’s today, tomorrow or whenever.”
Agnew had a slightly different take on the situation.
“If he doesn’t have the money, he’s already violating Guy Code somewhat,” Agnew said. “He should know to always come out with money, and should probably not get anything out of his budget when we’re eating somewhere, like water or some breadsticks. But if it comes down to it, you spot him. If he already owes you from playing wingman, he should pay for you”.
CLOTHES
A man’s sense of style and clothing are what distinguishes him from all others, and there were strong opinions regarding whether or not borrowing another friend’s clothes is a violation of Guy Code.
“Borrowing clothes is dancing on the line of violating Guy Code,” Agnew said. “Unless it’s family, then that’s different. A hat, or maybe a shirt is the most a friend can borrow. Shoes are definitely off limits.”
Green strongly agreed.
“I don’t like letting people borrow my clothes,” Green said. “That’s how things get lost or ruined. It’s especially bad if your homie impresses a girl while wearing something of yours. That’s disrespectful.”
FIGHTING
Every friendship has its ups and downs, and at some point or another there will be physical altercations between friends. It’s an unavoidable part of manhood, as aggression runs deep within men, and the demand for respect often leads to confrontation. Although fighting is not condoned, there is a way to go about handling altercations with close friends. Smith said control over the aggression is key.
“If you have to fight to get past the situation, that’s what you have to do,” Smith said. “But there should be some restraint when you’re in an altercation. You don’t want to knock your best friend out or beat him bloody.”
Agnew also said there should be restraint.
“If you’re fighting your best friend at all, it’s probably over something stupid anyway,” Agnew said. “In a fight, you want to get the point across, but don’t mess him up too bad.”
Green agreed but also said that the altercation in itself should be the end of the problem.
“If you have to fight to solve the problem, that’s OK,” Green said. “But leave it right there when it’s over. Don’t bring it back up later on to joke, or talk about it behind your boy’s back. That’s lame.”
