Feeling depressed, I went out did what any self respecting man would do: I went shopping. Walking into various boutiques and stores with fashion on my mind, I had a wake up call after realizing I couldn’t afford anything that I wanted. It was not until I stepped into the retail heaven of the American Apparel warehouse that I was greeted by the gods. $95 pants purchased for $5, and a $150 sweater purchased for $45 later, I stepped out into the chilly spring air ready to take on the day.

It seems as if everyone is undergoing new experiences this week.
A good friend of mine has engaged in a relationship popularized as “Friends With Benefits”. The benefit as you might assume is not car insurance, but sexual favours. Upon hearing about this friendship turned sexual, many questions darted across my mind: how can you engage in sexual intimacy without any romantic connection? Of course we are all human beings with urges and desires, but is it right to use another person solely for their body? With both parties needing sexual gratification, why not benefit each other with the whole “I help you, you help me” mindset. When thinking about the idea, I definitely do see and understand the perks, yet I find it difficult to bypass the warning signs.

Everyone has different outlooks on the topic, for some may applaud these relationships for the benefits provided are rather “fulfilling”, and with the added plus that no long term relationship is attached.

The idea sounds great in broad terms, but what happens when emotions become involved? Emotions always seem to create a barrier between people, for what if one party falls for the other? and what if the feeling are not reciprocated? I do not think I could place myself into a position where getting hurt could almost be inevitable. It takes a special person to be okay with this idea, for I know that I would find myself growing more and more attached after each encounter. By having sex the other person is finding their way inside your life (literally and metaphorically), by becoming your personal toy but the question still remains: How do you prevent the platonic feelings from escalating?

Friends with benefits may work for some, but definitely would not work for me… Unless the benefit is coffee, now that is a relationship I could get in on.