I spend a lot of Friday nights at home. Don’t get me wrong, I have friends and there’s events going on in my area, but I much rather wrap myself in a blanket, blog for a few hours and indulge in a Law and Order marathon after a long week of nonstop responsibilities. With endless weekend nights at home in my apartment, I’ve seen more than the average amount of films. Depending on my mood the genre can go from psycho slasher film to stereotypical teen romance. With a sister much older than I, I’ve been watching romantic comedies since before I hit puberty. I was a bit of an early bloomer, at least psychologically. (Definitely only psychologically.) With over a decade of watching women fall in and out of love on the small screen, I’ve learned a lot about what being in a relationship is like…in the movies at least.
When I started dating I had all these ideas of what it would be like. First kisses, Sunday dates, anniversaries and most of all, falling in love. Health classes never told me the emotional roller coaster being in love would feel like, and the movies don’t warn you about how easily teenage boys love you one day and ignore you the next. With the media pushing ideas of love down my throat, I quickly realized Julia Roberts’ films were much less realistic, and in reality we were all playing the role of Bridget Jones instead of a pretty woman.
Having been dating for almost a decade now, I started ridiculously early, I’ve learned a few things of what not to expect from guys in relationships. Not all men are created equal, at least when it comes to being good boyfriends. For this week’s installment of Midweek Study Break, I present you the 10 lies romantic comedies told me about love.
A Lot Like Love
4. Love at first sight can happen, and often too!
People fall in love in the movies so fast, I understand that you have little time with only 2 hours of film, but cmon! For once I’d like to see a movie where ‘I love you’ isnt said until right before the credits. People fall in love so easily and quickly on the big screen, as if guys are just running around giving their hearts to people. I dare you to walk up to a person and say ‘I love you,’ let’s see where that gets you. In today’s age when just shaking hands can be awkward, how can love at first sight still sound like a pleasant experience?
The Notebook
5. If a guy really loves you, he’ll wait as long as it takes to be with you.
Someone explain to me how this happens. In real life men complain about waiting an extra ten minutes while we get ready, but put a camera in front of them and suddenly they’re happy and willing to give up years of their life to have the girl of their dreams come back to them. Are we really buying the fact that a hottie like Noah waited that long for Allie? I mean look at him!! The annoying part is that Hollywood is dominated by male directors, writers, and producers. Yet they’re pushing out movies that make us believe a man will wait for us for all of eternity (while building us a house) when in reality our real boyfriends are asking us if showering before an event is actually necessary.
How to Lose A Guy in Ten Days
6. Playing hard to get only makes a boy be more interested in you.
Playing hard to get only gets you one thing, forgotten about. I have countless friends with standards that reach the clouds and when they do meet someone who meets their criteria they suddenly decide they want to be courted like it’s the 18th century. Being always available and desperate isn’t what I’m promoting, but if you read a guy’s text just reply, what’s the point in acting like you’re not that interested when you really are?! I’m completely transparent when I like a person, I’ll text you back instantly, actually work to keep the conversation going, and you know what it’s gotten me? Boyfriends! Guys like girls who don’t play games, so just text them back already!
My Best Friend’s Wedding
7. Guys will leave their current girlfriends for you.
If Julia Roberts couldn’t get the guy in My Best Friends Wedding, dont count on it happening for you. Men don’t leave the person they’re with just because they realize how awesome of a person you are. Guess who is also awesome, his girlfriend! And on top of that, she already knows what shows he’s into, his favorite thing to order at McDonalds and he’s already gone through the trouble of introducing her to his friends. This one needs no explanation, stop lusting after someone who’s taken. In the words of Regina George, “It’s not gonna happen!”
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She’s All That
8. Makeovers will make everyone realize the catch you are.
As a female who wears thick rimmed eyeglasses, I resent the idea that taking them off should instantly make me five times better looking. I look good with them off and on, and no amount of hair whipping is gonna change that. All movies tell teenage girls that if they put on a bit more eye makeup, blush and a little lipstick suddenly the guy you’ve been obsessing over will notice you. Maybe he will, but not for the reasons he should! Makeup comes off at night, you want him to like you for your amazing personality, not for your abilities to use your Naked palette.
The Ugly Truth
9. Opposites attract.
Opposites attract, especially for a long enough time to remember why the two of you are opposites and then proceed to hating each other instead. I’m loud and sarcastic and just a tad bit annoying, yet I seem to attract quiet guys. The boys who are looking for 9-5 office jobs are all over me, until they realize they can’t quite handle a girl who walks into a room already halfway into a story about how her day was. While opposite do attract, they also just as quickly repel one another.
Made of Honor
10. No one is a better soul mate than a best friend.
I have an amazing best friend. We see each other maybe three times a year, where our only activities are him and I roaming the aisles of Target, visiting our town’s movie theatre and eating greasy pizza. It’s the longest relationship I’ve ever been in, this past August marked our ten year anniversary! What makes us so awesome? We are 100% platonic. The idea of falling in love with your best friend after years of never realizing the potential you two have is wonderful, but in reality it mostly leads to ruined friendships and awkward run ins. Sometimes it’s just better to enjoy what you have and not force something that’s already good to become better. I love my best friend James as much as I’ve loved any boyfriend, the difference is I value our friendship more than any possibility of having a Hollywood romance.