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I\u2019ll be honest: I struggle to love summer. The weather is hot, the fashion options are limited, and, unlike when I was in school, I don\u2019t even get a guaranteed vacation. However, I realized I could reduce my anxiety about the season if I started romanticizing it<\/a>. More specifically, I needed to start pretending my life was a rom-com. After all, these movies aren\u2019t just about romantic love: They\u2019re about living in the moment, feeling confident, being a good friend, and embracing adventure\u2014all things I want to channel this summer. While real life can\u2019t always be as picturesque as film, we can still take inspiration from rom-coms to make life feel more fun and meaningful. <\/p>\n So, whether you love the season or not, here are 14 summer activities that will make your life feel like a rom-com.<\/p>\n I automatically associate specific songs with certain films: \u201cPerfect Day\u201d with Legally Blonde<\/em>, <\/em>\u201cSuddenly I See\u201d with The Devil Wears Prada<\/em>, and <\/em>\u201cI Guess the Lord Must Be in New York City\u201d with You\u2019ve Got Mail.<\/em> To channel that hopeful rom-com energy, start your summer mornings off by listening to the soundtracks from your favorite films, turning on a rom-com Spotify playlist, or creating your own. Listening to rom-com music while getting ready in the morning always fills me with a sense of excitement about the day\u2014like my story, too, is just beginning. <\/p>\n I have a theory: The \u201890s and early 2000s aren\u2019t just considered the \u201cgolden era\u201d of romantic comedies because of the top-tier rom and the com. We\u2019re also attracted to the technology from that era and nostalgic for a time before the all-consuming smartphone. Remember when Anne Hathaway throws her flip phone in the fountain at the end of The Devil Wears Prada<\/em>? Yeah, that would never happen nowadays. While you don\u2019t necessarily need to ditch your screens altogether, you can easily borrow a few analog habits<\/a> from your favorite rom-coms, like using a Filofax-style planner (27 Dresses<\/em>), listening to music on vinyl (High Fidelity)<\/em>, or playing cards (How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days<\/em>). <\/p>\n Every rom-com heroine<\/a> has their signature outfit, whether it\u2019s Cher Horowitz\u2019s plaid ensemble or Andie Anderson\u2019s butter yellow gown. To be clear: You don\u2019t need a whole wardrobe change to embrace your main character uniform. Just find one summer outfit<\/a> you feel great in \u2014for me, it\u2019s a Nancy Meyers-esque<\/a> button-down dress \u2014 and wear it when you need a confidence boost.\u00a0<\/p>\n All the best rom-coms seem to have a dinner party scene, where truths are revealed and relationships develop, and summer is the perfect time to host your own<\/a>. Invite a few friends over and whip up dishes with fresh summer ingredients<\/a>, like steak salad, panzanella, and cherry tomato pasta. While you should aim to keep things simple (hosting a dinner party can go from fun to stressful in minutes), you can always zhuzh things up with a cute tablecloth, taper candles, and flowers. Even if you screw up the cooking, like Bridget Jones\u2019s tragic blue soup, your guests will always remember it.\u00a0<\/p>\n Somehow, almost every 2000s rom-com heroine was a journalist living in New York City, and even those who weren\u2019t still liked to write. Even if you don\u2019t consider yourself a writer, it\u2019s an easy habit to steal from your favorite movies that can help romanticize your own life. Write about what\u2019s going on in your life, whether it\u2019s in a diary, through letters, or via lengthy emails with a loved one. If you\u2019re thinking, \u201cbut my life isn\u2019t interesting enough to write about,\u201d that\u2019s kind of the point. Recording your experiences is a way to force yourself into believing your life is meaningful. What you write doesn\u2019t have to be particularly profound. It can be just daily reflections, like the funny interaction you had at the fro-yo shop or an awkward moment at work. However, writing can also be a vehicle to process your feelings. As Meg Ryan\u2019s character says in You\u2019ve Got Mail<\/em>, use your letters or diary entries to send your cosmic questions out into the void and see what answers you might find.<\/p>\n I love how rom-com characters incorporate their friends into their everyday routines. After all, deep talks about work, life, and relationships don\u2019t have to happen exclusively over dinner and drinks. Plus, it can take weeks for schedules to align to even plan something like that. Instead, schedule an \u201cerrands day\u201d where you and a friend get together to check off tasks you\u2019d both have to do anyway. The best conversations can happen while grocery shopping, standing in line at the post office, or shopping for a new AC unit. <\/p>\n All those 30-second synchronized TikTok dances actually give off major rom-com energy. For some reason, there are an unusual number of romantic comedies where a dance routine serves as a litmus test for a friendship. I\u2019m not even talking about musicals: think of Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo jiving to \u201cThriller\u201d in 13 Going on 30<\/em> or Kate Hudson and Ginnifer Goodwin rocking to \u201cPush It\u201d in Something Borrowed. <\/em>To recreate your own rom-com dance scene, grab a friend and get grooving, whether that\u2019s alongside a video tutorial at home or at a dance fitness class IRL. <\/p>\n At least according to rom-coms, changing up your hairstyle is the perfect way to usher in a new chapter in life. Not only do haircuts embody the \u201cnew look, new me\u201d adage, but they literally remove old weight from your body. If you\u2019re craving a fresh start this summer<\/a>, an appointment at your go-to salon might be just the ticket. You can make a dramatic change, like Gwyneth Paltrow\u2019s blonde pixie cut in Sliding Doors<\/em>, or just get a fresh trim or color. Just don\u2019t cut breakup bangs\u2026 or do! Anything is on the table!<\/p>\n Rom-com heroines know how to break out of their routines and embrace novelty. Wander into that cute bakery you always pass on your way home and pick up a pain au chocolat. Say yes to that party invite you were going to pass on to watch Love Island<\/em>. Take a last-minute detour to the beach, even if it means jumping into the water fully clothed. The best summer memories<\/a> are often made outside of your comfort zone (and without a set plan).\u00a0<\/p>\n Karaoke is another quintessential rom-com activity that appears in movies like My Best Friend\u2019s Wedding <\/em>and 500 Days of Summer<\/em>. And during the heat of the summer, spending time in an air-conditioned karaoke lounge\u2014or at home with your own karaoke setup\u2014is a great way to escape the scorching temps. Grab some friends, get dressed up, and get out all your feelings by belting your favorite love song (actual singing skills not required).<\/p>\n Whether you live near a lake, river, or ocean, spend an afternoon out on the water for a relaxing summer activity that captures the same cinematic feeling as your favorite movies. Rent a canoe to live out the iconic scene from The Notebook<\/em>, pedal around in a paddle boat as in 10 Things I Hate About You<\/em>, or book a spot on a boat cruise. It\u2019s perfect for a fun outing with friends or a romantic summer date idea<\/a> that feels straight out of the movies.<\/p>\n I can\u2019t think of the last time I actually bought something from a bookstore. These days, it\u2019s all too easy to download an e-book with just a few clicks or have a physical copy show up at your doorstep in a matter of days. But I say, no more! Embrace the rom-com spirit by leisurely strolling around a bookstore and picking out your next read the old-fashioned way. If you need a recommendation for your next summer read<\/a>, try Pride & Prejudice, <\/em>an OG rom-com that\u2019s often referenced in modern films, or grab a book inspired by one of your favorites, like First-Time Caller<\/em> by B.K. Borison<\/a> if you love Sleepless in Seattle <\/em>or You, Again<\/em> by Kate Goldbeck<\/a> for When Harry Met Sally<\/em> fans.<\/p>\n How often do we stop ourselves from trying something new because we\u2019re afraid of looking foolish? Rom-coms have taught me not to be afraid of embarrassing myself or, at the very least, how to push through that feeling. If life feels boring lately, it may be time to challenge yourself with something you\u2019ve never done before, like picking up a new sport. A few ideas that are perfect for summer: roller-skating, playing pickleball, joining a softball team, or surfing. Pick one and take the opportunity to fall on your butt, make a fool of yourself, and do it for the plot. <\/p>\n READ: 32 Summer Hobbies That Are Perfect for Warmer Weather<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n If your summer plans don\u2019t include jetting off to Tuscany to take an Italian lover, you can still incorporate some of the excitement of travel into your own routines, and learning a new language is a great place to start. Instead of relying on apps like Duolingo, find an in-person language class near you, like a continuing education course at a local college. After all, a rom-com-worthy life happens out in the real world, not on an app. You can enhance your immersion further by listening to music in your language of choice, watching foreign films, or learning to cook regional dishes. <\/p>\n The post 14 Ways to Make Your Life Feel Like a Rom-Com This Summer<\/a> appeared first on The Everygirl<\/a>.<\/p>\n1. Start your day with the perfect rom-com playlist <\/h2>\n
2. Go analog\u00a0<\/h2>\n
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3. Find your main character outfit<\/h2>\n
4. Host a dinner party<\/h2>\n
5. Keep a diary (or start writing letters)<\/h2>\n
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6. Run errands with your friends\u00a0<\/h2>\n
7. Learn a dance routine\u00a0<\/h2>\n
8. Change your hairstyle\u00a0<\/h2>\n
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9. Embrace spontaneity<\/h2>\n
10. Have a karaoke night\u00a0<\/h2>\n
11. Get out on the water<\/h2>\n
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12. Visit a bookstore\u00a0<\/h2>\n
13. Try a new summer sport\u00a0<\/h2>\n
14. Take a language\u00a0learning class<\/h2>\n