From the moment we begin learning our addition and subtraction, math becomes a vital part of our lives. We start off with learning to move ahead the sum of two dice in a board game, then calculating the amount of time left in the hour, or before bedtime, and then we begin adding up the money in our piggy banks, until ultimately we begin a life full of math which we do, almost subliminally, in the back of our minds. A life full of prosperity and wealth relies heavily upon what habits we form as a child. One of these important life habits is the way we spend our money and time efficiently. The logical math we learn in school however, eventually evolves into a new kind of “math” used by teenagers. A recently viral phenomenon known as “girl math” explains the reasoning behind such frivolous teenage spending. This kind of “math” is really not math at all, and makes little to no logical sense. It is a way of thinking that specifically girls use, to justify buying themselves a Starbucks drink every morning before school, ordering endless amounts of clothes, and spending precious studying time scrolling on their phones.
Ask any highschool girl at Westmont and you will find a general consensus about the reality of these principles:
- Anything that costs $5 or less is free.
- Anything paid for with cash is free.
- If you use coupons or buy something on sale you actually make profit.
- Returning an item you spent money on makes you profit or if you return it for store credit then you basically have free money to spend on more clothes.
- Coffee bought with a loaded Starbucks card is free.
- Eating out is cheaper than eating at home.
- Dresses and bodysuits are all 50% off because you’re paying for a top and a bottom.
However, the girl math principles do not end here. At times, girl math can become dangerous or even illegal. For example, teenage drivers will consider the speed limit to be up to 15 miles per hour or more than it legally is. The reasoning being that they don’t believe a cop will pull them over for going only five miles per hour over the posted speed limit and therefore they can drive up to ten miles over that, before actually getting caught. This justification of the speed limit makes no logical sense yet is relatable to many teen girls. We also find a hard time doing anything if it does not happen on time. For example, if it is 3:43pm and you need to start your homework you may decide that you can spend seven more minutes on your phone before starting, but, if you miss that seven minute mark and it’s 3:51pm, then you must wait nine more minutes before getting off of your phone. Overall, our silly feminine logic is just a stubborn way of justifying our bad habits, so it needs to be outgrown at some point. Girl math should not be encouraged on social media rather talked about in a more concerned manner. It can do some serious damage to a savings account when a teen girl spends so much money on Starbucks every day.