The Complex Guide To Managing A Summer Fling

Image via Complex Original

10. Lose the pasty winter look and ab flab.

Learned from: Going The Distance (2010)

Complex says: One thing girls tend to avoid on beaches are the beacons of white light that they can confuse with lighthouses. The winter months were hard: You ate hearty stews and bread to keep warm, but now it's time to shed that extra poundage and step out into the light. Get a pre-summer fake tan; it will impress the girls and help kickstart a summer fling or two.

9. Find your summer fling at a popular vacation spot.

Learned from: Charlyne Yi and Channing Tatum's Dirty Dancing spoof (2009)

Complex says: This may seem a little deceiving, but it works—she won't know you live down the block. If she's there for vacation, use it to your advantage. Not only will she be gone in the fall, but, sometimes, her parents will be out doing their own sight-seeing, meaning you can use the hotel room for, you know. And if the truth comes out, just remember: Girls love those wrong-side-of-the-track stories. They can afford a vacation while you're here working; they eat that up.

8. Don't meet her parents.

Learned from: One Crazy Summer (1986)

Complex says: This is a biggy. You're only going to be together for three months, tops. Chances are, you'd never meet your summer girlfriend's parents unless they're buying her dinner and you tag along. If you meet the 'rents, you're setting down roots. Plus, you most likely won't be in charmer mode. You're going to be red from alcohol and/or sunburn, and all her parents will see is the sex-crazed opportunist that you are. It may lead to the premature end of a good summer.

7. Avoid divulging too much information about yourself.

Learned from: Adventureland (2009)

Complex says: The best part about summer flings is not having to pretend that you're interested in your girlfriend's past heartbreaks. Give her the same courtesy and don't talk about the girl that just dumped you. You both should act like you don't have a past at all. Just have fun and then go back to your actual lives. And, for you inexperienced daters out there, especially don't tell her that you're a virgin; it's not sexy, and she'll probably figure it out when the time comes, anyway.

6. Don't lie to your friends about her; it may come back to haunt you.

Learned from: Grease (1978)

Complex says: We understand that you met her in some foreign country, and that you don't expect to see her ever again. But if movies have taught us anything: you will. So when you're bragging about what you did under the docks, make sure it's the truth. If you're telling everyone you got friendly down in the sand, when you really just held hands, people are going to judge you. Also, Kenickie, if she "puts up a fight", stop.

5. Don't get too close to her friends and vice versa.

Learned from: The Little Rascals (1994)

Complex says: The less connections you make, the smoother the break-up will play out. You know how fun and easy summer flings are? That's because you don't have to fake interest when your girlfriend drags you to the mall with her friends, leaving you to hold the bags. Also, try to avoid overexposure to your own friends. They have a lot of free time on their hands over the summer, and if you keep bailing on them, they may just use it to sabotage your cleverly disguised "Friends With Benefits" relationship.

4. Save the displays of affection for the bedroom.

Learned from: American Pie (1999)

Complex says: In movies, everyone reacts so warmly to the young couple in love. They see you making out with your girlfriend and they'll start a slow clap while a Three Doors Down tune plays in the background. In reality, though, everyone is grossed out. No one wants to see your tongue in anyone's mouth. And honestly, if you filmed it, you wouldn't want to see that shit, either. By the end of the summer, the hand-holding, the soft kisses on her forehead, and the cuddling on the beach will add up and "mean something" to her. Nice going, guy—you just made her fall in love with you!

3. Focus on the present; never make future plans.

Learned from: The Graduate (1967)

Complex says: Always live in the now. Take any opportunity you have, but don't dwell on what may happen afterward. Yes, she may be your married neighbor, eye-fucking you through the kitchen window of her summer home, but who cares? In the fall, you'll be out of county lines! But seriously, think about it. Making future plans gives her a reason to call you after the summer, or, gasp, friend you on Facebook.

2. Don't resort to any declarations of love to keep her interested.

Learned from: Say Anything (1989)

Complex says: Don't do this. Seriously. You are not Lloyd Dobbler, i.e. the type of guy who whines over the pen she gave you as a break-up gift, blasts Peter Gabriel for her to take you back, and follows her to London at the end of the summer like a lost puppy. After all, she won't understand that you want this to be temporary if you're passionately fighting for her. If it's not working, move on. You have direction, and it's wherever the compass in your pants is pointing towards—the North Star, or the next girl. In fact, just take that pen and use it to get some hot bar-crawler's number at the local watering hole.

1. Accept that it was a great summer and move on.

Learned from: Almost Famous (2000)

Complex says: At the start of the summer, the rules were laid down. This was about fun, and you're both not into the whole long distance thing. We understand that spending three intimate months with someone could bury itself into your heart, but snap out of it. The coldest of summer bunnies will trade you for fifty bucks and a case of beer while you're pulling at flower petals and planning a two-person fall vacation. Let it go; in due time, you'll find someone DTF in the winter.