Bright Young Woman-BLOG

The Summer I became a Hopeless Romantic Again.

2025 was a year I was broken up with, rejected, and in the depths of depression caused by loneliness, heartbreak, and romantic fatigue, became

desperate to change my life around. It’s fascinating how when one thing like a relationship with someone shifts or ends, other parts of your life gradually starts to follow suit.

In the process of healing and searching for self evolution I came across the concept of reparenting myself.

It’s not lost on me that “The Summer I Turned Pretty” is show that focuses on young love. I found myself reluctant to starting it this Summer, and I had the intention of this show being something to fall asleep to, have on the background to clean my apartment to, and perhaps hate watch/laugh to.

I binged the first two seasons in an embarrassingly short amount of time, and found myself telling everyone I knew about it. I found myself listening to the soundtrack of Taylor Swift, 90s/early 2000s throwbacks, and bubblegum pop that either made you want to belt out loud, or cry.

As I caught up to season 3 I was in real time with audiences who have been watching since season 1. My friends, both males and females, of all ages from 25-45 were all invested. I took enjoyment in receiving texts from my friends with their emboldened opinions on Belly, Conrad, Jeremiah, Laurel, Adam, Susannah, Steven, Taylor, Denise and Cam Cameron. There’s was much division in feelings towards these characters, but we were all connected with the interest and investment in this show.

Make no mistake- I am TEAM CONRAD. I thought of this character and love alot during the day. LOL. I realized it was the same feeling I had when I was obsessed with Leonardo DiCaprio when “Titanic” came out in 1997. It was the same feeling I had choosing Team Edward over Team Jacob when “Twilight” came out in 2008. I watched the last season of Sex and the City in real time- us hopeless romantics who grew up with Carrie Bradshaw know- Paris is always a good idea.

I was a woman in my 30s, who at the time was slightly concerned about the romantic trajectory and timing of my life specifically, hasn’t felt alive from passionate affairs and loves in a while, being drawn to witnessing our first love in Conrad grow and evolve as we did too through Belly. Not to mention the yearning, I mean come on! As as a certified forever yearner myself, it’s nice to see it reciprocated from a man. Jenny Han created a hell of a man, and gave him everything to be the fantasy that alot of us girlies have wished for when we were young, and are now still wishing for.

In today’s day and age when more and more women are marrying later if at all, choosing to be single or just are, a bit traumatized or jaded by the modern dating scene, Jenny Han gave us Conrad Fisher as Jane Austen gave us Mr. Darcy, and I have no reservations whatsoever in being a little Delulu about finding my own version of these men.

Here’s to the Summer of

-Blue Haven in New York City viewing parties every Wednesday of cries, laughter, passionate outcries of Conrad, Belly’s decisions, Jeremiah, Taylor and Steven, the ridiculousness that is Adam, girl dinners ( Chicken Caesar Salad, fries, and diet coke)

-Oversized Sweatshirts and shorts

-girlhood

-crying to “we can’t be friends” by Ariana Grande on repeat

-feeling like a Taylor Swift song

but most importantly, returning to the younger version of ourselves, who some time ago believed in love, daydreamed with our favorite songs, sat with the butterflies in our stomach, with the unadulterated hope of all of our girlish dreams coming true. Welcome Back.