Unexpected yet Important Lessons in Love That Rom Coms Can Teach Us

As much as we would want it to be, life is not a romantic comedy. As fun as they are to watch, you’re probs not going to find your dream guy by missing a train or getting stuck in an elevator together. But unlike all Disney movies where it’s a fairy tale meeting, drama and strife, followed by a happy ending, some rom coms are a bit more realistic. These are the times rom coms got pretty real about dating and gave us some very relatable advice.

1. Never accept a half-assed effort from anyone

Taking a page out of the HJNTIY book, the one thing we have learned from romantic comedies is that when someone really likes you, they will pull out all the stops. Of course not everyone can jump past airport security or proclaim their love on national television, but the basic lesson here is that someone who is into you will make it clear, there will be no half-assed efforts or mixed messages.

2. It does not matter where you meet someone 

A bar, a party, a boring family gathering, or even a funeral, rom coms prove to us that there is no right or wrong way of meeting someone. No matter how unconventional, bizarre or down right embarrassing a person or situation may seem, if they are right for you then there is no need to overthink it. Love can happen anytime, anywhere with anyone, so be open to meeting people everywhere you go.

3.You do not have to be a perfect person with a perfect life

So many of us get caught up in trying to make ourselves perfect in order to find a SO. We keep trying to lose weight, get a better job or even change the way we talk and dress. If there is one thing that we learn from watching romantic comedies, it's this: You could have been single all your life (Never Been Kissed), have a bad rep (Easy A) or even have shopping problem (Confessions of a Shopaholic). When mister or missus right comes along, they will like you for who you are and exactly as you are, weird quirks and personality traits included.

4. It's a good idea to have "the talk" before you end up with a broken heart

We get it, it’s really hard to bring up that convo when you like someone and you’re trying to play it cool. But once you start having a few more dates, getting serious and catching the feels, you need to define the relationship. If you let it go on for too long without saying anything, you might not realise that one of you is way more into/way less into it. Establish whether that you are interested early on, or one of you might end up in a 500 Days of Summer situation without realising it.

5. Not everything always goes according to plan

The course of true love never did run smooth, or so the proverb goes. Fairytale romances rarely exist, and if there is one thing rom coms teach us , it is the fact that a lot of stuff can go impossibly wrong and probably will before things get right in the end. So don't sweat the small stuff and minor setbacks, just believe in your heart and you will figure it out. (Unless your heart tells you to do something illegal, then maybe don't? )

6. A good friend can sometimes end up being your soulmate

When Harry Met Sally, My Best Friend's Wedding, Jab We Met — the list of movies which show someone falling in love with their BFF is endless, and it exists for a reason. A lot of times you do end up falling for someone who is a friend, it just takes the right circumstances to make things happen and change the dynamic of the relationship.

So, next time you scoff at a rom com, think twice — you may just learn something valuable!