Life > September 4, 2008

By CeCe Brooks | Staff columnist

Last year I always noticed when my roommate got her monthly Cosmopolitan. One time in particular was the issue with 50 bachelors from the 50 states, which first of all I have to say was severely lacking.

Then, of course, I started reading it, distracting myself from being productive in any way.

This is when it occurred to me: what would my life be like without Cosmo?

Ignore my melodramaticness and notice that most girls and, I’m sure, a fair number of guys (even if they don’t admit it) read Cosmo for about any reason they can possibly find.

I haven’t had a job where we haven’t all read Cosmo while we should have been doing something else. What’s not to love? It has EVERYTHING! If you want make-up tips, fashion info, relationship advice, raunchy sex tips; you name it, Cosmo’s got it.

I first noticed this fascination with the magazine a few years ago when some of my friends were talking about having an amusing time reading it all the way to Mexico on a flight.

I have to say, if a magazine keeps the attention of a teenager for that long it’s got to be doing something right.

But of course we all know that Cosmo does not just appeal to giggly high school girls, the giggly and the girl part is usually true, but I’ve seen it ogled by many ages.

This is not to say that it is not intriguing for guys (guys, don’t lie and say you’ve never read it!).

One of my most memorable “Cosmo experiences” was when I was at a Model UN conference and one of my guy friends brought in an issue to read instead of making world peace.

Because I’m not a guy, I cannot really attest to the reason behind this fascination, but it might have something to do with, well you know, if you’ve ever read Cosmo.

I think we’ve all had that universal girl bonding experiencing of reading an issue out loud, nearly blushing and laughing hysterically. At every job I’ve had (man I sound like a great worker don’t I), all the girls have gathered around to see what outrageous or just plain awesome thing we would read next.

Obviously, there is every topic about sex that you could imagine, but I think some people fail to recognize the other qualities that make Cosmopolitan stand out compared to the competition.

There is more serious advice relating to relationships, fashion, health, beauty, celebrity gossip and interviews, and pop culture.

Plus, without even reading any of the words, your eyes are delighted by a plethora of colors, a layout that looks more like a compilation you made than the product of some editor, pictures of hot guys for the girls, and pictures of hot girls for the guys to stare at and girls to envy. Basically, without Cosmo the world would be lost.

One last thing to consider: don’t guys always claim to read Playboy for the articles? Well as much as Cosmo is raunchy, girls actually do read it for the articles.

Maybe this is further proof that girls are more evolved than guys, not to start a debate or anything.