On my Twitter feed, I constantly see tweets about men reaching the 'bare minimum' for their girlfriends and wives. I get that it's cute when your boyfriend remembers little things about you or goes out of his way to do something for you. What's not cute is when you bend over backward for him and he throws a scrap of romance or appreciation every month your way. Have women lowered their standards so much that when your significant other dares to text you back or picks up takeout for you (after you probably begged him to), you deem him the most amazing guy in the world? That's not amazing if anything it should be a given. Your boyfriend giving you basic human rights and listening to you does not make him husband material.

One of my biggest pet peeves is when people tell me I'm too picky, especially when it's about guys. I'm not going to sit here and apologize for recognizing my worth. I'm not going to be amazed by a man's capability to respond to a text message in a fashionable manner or remember whether or not that I like ranch. I deserve someone who knows all that and more; who surprises me not because I asked him but because he wants to. Women are giving men credit for things that they probably don't even know they're doing - I swear a cute boy could breathe and they'd somehow turn it into a personality trait.

Why are men allowed to have high standards but women have to over and over again settle for less? By the way, it's rarely a guy who tells me my standards are too high but rather my girl friends around me. It's as if they're trying to justify their shitty boyfriends! I mean why do you care so much if I prefer tall guys to short guys when I'm sure you did the same when you were looking for your significant other?

Why should I have to settle? Some of my girl friends did, and they're probably jealous at the fact I just won't. Some of them didn't, and yet they still say my standards are too high. I shouldn't have to fight for my boyfriend's attention or praise him every time he looks in my direction. If he's your boyfriend he should want to do that stuff anyway. With hook-up culture and the downfall of serious relationships, I think most college women think that if their boyfriend does the bare minimum then they're getting more than everyone who's friends with benefits isn't. Don't you understand that you are worth more than a boyfriend who sometimes remembers to text you back?

I'm not saying that you should be looking for a guy so specific to your standards that you ignore everyone else around you. I'm saying why isn't it okay to search for a guy that exceeds the bare minimum? Someone who I'm actually physically attracted to and makes me feel respected and loved. I've learned a lot from guys I've dated so I know what I want in a future partner. I'm done listening to people telling me to settle or lower my standards because, to be honest, my standards aren't even that high. It's not like I'm waiting for Chris Hemsworth look alike to fall in love with me (even though that be a dream come true). I just want more than the bare minimum, because I will give my future boyfriend more than an average relationship and I deserve the same.