How to Have the Perfect Summer Romance

Hearing the phrase “summer romance” reminds me of the 1978 film “Grease,” where good girl Sandy and greaser Danny fall in love over the summer and then unexpectedly discover that they’re going to the same high school. The gist of the movie is that the two lovebirds never thought they’d see each other past the summer and the struggle that goes along with transforming a summer love into an everlasting love.

So summer’s on your heels and you’ve decided that you want to find your own Danny Zuko? Whether you’ll be spending your June, July and August in The Hamptons, the south of France or at your grandma’s house in East Lansing, Mich., here are a few tips to finding and making the best out of your summer romance.

The whole point of a summer romance is that it’s supposed to be full of adventure with no commitment or drama, and it’s only supposed to last for the summer. That means when college starts up in the fall, you don’t have a complete crying fit and beg your temporary boyfriend into having a long-distance relationship for the rest of the year. If you don’t think you can handle keeping it light and fun, then maybe you’re not cut out for a summer romance.

In order to have a proper summer romance, you must find a proper guy to spend the summer with. Just because you’re looking for a non-committal relationship, doesn’t mean you need to find a non-committal kind of guy — players need not apply. The great thing about a summer romance is that you can have it with a Grade A guy who you would date under normal circumstances but who most likely lives overseas or across the country. Look for said super stud at the beach, your grandparents’ country club or at the local watering hole.

Let’s say you’ve had an amazingly successful summer romance, but you’ve gotten a little too attached to this guy (i.e. you’ve been crying yourself to sleep the last week of the summer in preparation of saying goodbye.) Let’s also say this guy lives in Germany and you live in Georgia. Chances are, the long-distance thing is totally not going to work. So why rake yourself over the coals? Just admit that you had the best June, July and August of your life and that you’d prefer to have sweet memories of the summer than a sad, pathetic goodbye where you’re wiping snot with your nautical-inspired J. Crew sweatshirt.

There you have it. A summer romance can make the dreary, sunless months well worth the wait but only if you show up prepared, know where to find a dreamboat, and play it cool when it comes to end-of-the-summer goodbyes. Good luck!