Boys Stink and Other Facts of Life
Say you just ran into your crush or your best guy friend. He’s staring at his sneakers, stumbling over his words and…are those sweat stains under his arms? You’re not alone if you walk away scratching your head and thinking, “Huh? Wha…?” But we’ve got the straight-up facts, right here.
Fact: Boys are just as intimidated by you as you are by them.
Boys tend to get embarrassed around girls, but why? Well, on average, boys mature at a later age than girls. So guys don’t always know how to act in a way that’s, um, composed. And because of this lack of maturity, they have a thing for making fun of each other. So if you’re talking to your crush, you can bet he’s probably thinking, “Sheesh, I hope my friends don’t see me hanging out with this girl! They’ll bust on me, for sure.”
Fact: They have a harder time talking about their feelings.
Girls are way better at expressing their emotions than boys are. Some of this has to do with hormonal differences, but part of it has to do with societal expectations. Guys are “supposed” to be rock-solid. So do boys have feelings? Yes, absolutely! It’s just that they have a more difficult time putting them into words and spitting them out.
Fact: Boys don’t menstruate, but they have mood swings!
Mood swings aren’t just about having your period. They’re a part of puberty for girls and boys. The difference is that while girls tend to get sad and sometimes weepy, boys lean more toward anger and frustration. Is he grumpy? Don’t take it personally.
Fact: Their voices go whacky right around when they turn 15.
You used to call your guy friend on the phone and couldn’t tell if he answered or if it was his sister, right? And then one day, he picks up and you think it’s his dad! What the heck? Before that, you might have noticed that his voice was squeaking and cracking when he got called on in class. That’s because his larynx, or voice box, has been growing larger and thicker. This happens to girls, too, but your voice only deepens by a few barely audible tones. This may come with a whisker on his chin…
Fact: Boys’ sweat gets smellier as they get older.
Again, puberty is the culprit. Those pesky hormonal changes cause sweat and body odor. And, yes, girls have this problem, too. But girls tend to have better personal hygiene, which means bathing regularly and using deodorant. So he comes off the field after practice, and he’s all dirty and dripping with stink. Ick. But hang in there. As he catches up with you in maturity, he’ll care about how he smells. Because he won’t worry anymore about what his friends think when he’s talking to a girl.
