If only real life could be exactly like your favorite romantic comedy. You’d be Emma Stone (or Jennifer Lawrence), with perfect hair and a metabolism that just won’t quit, and he’d be Ryan Gosling handsome and James Franco smart (minus the whole crazy multitasking part). You’d be just awkward enough to be endearing, to distract from your painfully gorgeous face. He’d be successful (most likely an architect) and emotionally available, which is almost unheard of these days. If any of these signs sound true, it’s more than likely that you’re living an actual dream — and that dream is a rom-com come to life.
- You and your current boyf had an absolutely adorable meet-cute that you brag about to strangers. These days, most couples meet one of three ways. Either they were introduced by friends (which is a better story to tell the grandkids than a right swipe on Tinder), they met on the interwebs/any app that involves immediate judgement, or they were completely wasted and started making out at a bar, despite the fact that it’s no longer age appropriate. If you regularly meet dudes on the street (and not in a sketchy way) when you just happen to accidentally bump into them (because you’re adorably clumsy – that’s a pre-requisite), then your life is a little too much like the movies.
- Your first kiss takes place be in the snow or the rain or the sand, depending on the destinations available. If you live in NYC (which is basically the birthplace of the rom-com – just ask Harry and Sally), it happened in the snow or even in a sugar storm (although hopefully your story doesn’t end quite like Gone Girl). If it’s a destination fling, it has to happen on the beach with the waves falling gently around you, when the reality is that the waves would be crashing and you’d come up soaking wet and sputtering, with sea water in your mouth and your hair plastered to your face. If your life is one of the most romantic stories of all time, then the kiss will happen The Notebook style, in which case, more power to you.
- You live in an apartment you could never possibly afford. Every rom-com ever features effortlessly gorgeous twentysomethings parading around an impossibly chic apartment. The reality of millennial life is that most apartments are teeny tiny shoeboxes stuffed to the brim with Craigslit randos, not spacious lofts full of Anthropologie bedding and your childhood best friends.
- You face problems that could easily be avoided with a casual conversation. In a healthy relationship, you talk about everything — from what you did that day to the major secrets you’re hiding. After all, when it comes down to it, relationships are all about sharing the minute details with someone who actually wants to hear about them (once your mom’s done listening, of course). In romantic comedies, there is one major secret that lurks, ruining everything, that could easily be discussed and handled with limited drama and hysterics.
- Your best friend is endearingly quirky (see also: not at all a threat). IRL, most girls have a group of “best” friends, because we’re no longer elementary schoolers who have to be faithful to one BFF4E. In a rom-com, having more than one bestie would take away from staring at Ryan Gosling’s abs for hours (and no one wants that). Instead of introducing multiple characters, it’s far easier to have one quirky/weird/undateable pal who offers advice and bemoans her single status.
- You spend hours at brunch.Without regular Sex and the City style brunches, your life is basically meaningless. Bottomless mimosas, no wait time, and no hangover = the rom-com of your greatest dreams. If you’re not discussing dome over a low-cal egg white omelette, you’re definitely not a rom-com heroine.
- You work in public relations. It is a must that every romantic interest has to work in PR, while the dudes are required to be architects — masculine, but still artsy enough to make them suitably creative romantics. You’re also allowed to be a journalist, but public relations shows that you’ve got your act together, but still love to party — the perfect combination for movie star status.
- Sweatpants are only something you wear on special occasions to show how sad you are. If you sleep in a combination of sweats and oversized t-shirts that belonged to former boyfriends, that’s totally normal… but it means your life is 100% not a romantic comedy. Those ladies only wear sweats on special occasions — post-break-up, when they’re spoon deep in Ben & Jerry’s.
