There are 86,187 people residing in Chico, according to 2010 estimates. Although that number seems rather high to some, some believe they live in a small town where frequent encounters with the same familiar faces often occur.

This can be a problem for those who would prefer to hook-up with someone who is a complete stranger who has no relations to their circle of friends. This issue usually only arises in a small college town.

There’s a fine line between dating a long-term ex and just merely hooking up with the same person.

Thought Catalog, a crowdsourcing website, contains an article that defines the rules of “girl code.” Girl and Guy code is the idea that there are guidelines that a girl or guy must follow in order to be an ideal friend. The difference between the two is simply just the rules each gender must follow.

Some girl code rules include “never go after a friend’s crush” and “never fight over a boy.”

One rule says that a girl cannot hook up with the same guy that a friend previously had.

Having a friend date your ex is often an awkward and difficult situation.

However, it is ways in which people handle these situations that need to change. Three of my roommates hooked up with the same guy unknowingly. When they all found out this happened, they simply just laughed and talked about the different experiences they had.

On the other hand, some girls will end a really great friendship over such a minor incident. If the guy had no problem with becoming involved with two friends, he probably wasn’t worth bickering over.

These rules need to be abolished completely. A good friend should not be based on the number of rules she hasn’t broken. These rules are not concrete and official. It’s more or less left to interpretation.

There are circumstances that are quite understandable. Sure, most girls won’t go after a guy who is in a long-term committed relationship. But when it comes to a one-night stand or an extremely casual hookup, it shouldn’t have an effect on the friendship. Instead, wouldn’t it be more of a relief to be able to laugh it over with and move on?

Rachel Reyes can be reached at [email protected] or @theorion_news on Twitter.