Image via Complex Original
*Bell rings* “When I wake up in the morning/And the alarm gives out a warning/I don’t think I’ll ever make it on time!”
If your partner doesn’t know this theme song, they're too young for you, bro. Saved by The Bell, the classic NBC sitcom, turns 25 today, and, you must admit, those Bayside High kids really got around. On the school's daily menu: first loves, heartaches, make-ups, break-ups, and every 'fist-fight over the same girl' in between. Indeed, Zack and the gang schooled us all a thing or two about matters of the heart. Here are 10 things Saved by The Bell taught us about relationships.
What is meant to be, will be.
Zack and Kelly were the quintessential high school couple. Their on-again/off-again status seemed to withstand their melodramatic teenage antics, from the dangers of faulty zit cream to drunk driving while wearing togas. So much so, in fact, that the two end up married during college. The moral of the story: You can't stop destiny. There are no obstacles large enough to keep you away from your soulmate. Not even random Paris trips.
The friend zone is real.
Screech probably invented the friend zone. No matter how persistent he was with Lisa, his uber-nerd charms never got the best of her. Just when you thought he might wear her down, nope, she still wasn’t having it. Hey, some girls just don't find ant farms and bad Michael Jackson impersonations sexy. Shit happens. Sometimes people are doing you a favor by keeping you in the friend zone. If you’ve tried more than twice, charge it to the game.
Even Kelly Kapowski's been cheated on.
What’s that saying? “Halle Berry got cheated on, so what makes you think you won’t?” Kelly Kapowski, the baddest girl to walk the halls of Bayside, could’ve had any guy she wanted. But remember that one time she ditched Zack and started dating an older guy? Yeah, it backfired. Being attractive isn’t always enough to control wandering eyes. If there’s a void anywhere in your relationship, the other person will look to fill it.
The little things matter.
Small romantic gestures never go unnoticed. When Kelly couldn’t afford to go to prom, Zack brought the prom to her in a romantic, on-the-cheap dance outside of the school. The makeshift party was a sweet gesture that didn’t require much planning and gave Zack endless brownie points. It may feel like a foolish idea at the time, but it’s almost always better than something store-bought.
Moving on is possible.
Contrary to how it feels, a break-up isn’t the end of the world. Things will get better and eventually you’ll feel like an idiot for wallowing in your own self-pity. Utilize your new alone time to get reacquainted with yourself. Figure out what worked in your last relationship and what didn’t. After all, Zack and Kelly both dated other people during their breaks. Just look at Zack's face in the picture above. Kelly might as well look like Screech in drag at that point.
Being preoccupied with the wrong person prevents you from finding the right person.
While Screech was all up Lisa’s ass, he was missing out on the one girl who actually wanted him. Violet, who was basically the female Screech, came along and it was like Samuel Powers' infatuation with Lisa never happened. Once he let that unhealthy relationship go, he made room for someone who appreciated him—social warts, horrible cross-color outfits, and all.
It’s possible to be friends with your ex.
Both of the show’s main couples, Jessie/Slater and Kelly/Zack, remained overly cordial with each other long after their relationships went the way of Slater’s beloved pet chameleon, Artie (R.I.P.). The key to keeping your cool is demanding that you have time to yourself to sort your feelings out. Address your feelings. Don’t feel bad for feeling that way and actively make steps toward getting over it. Of course the friendship will never go back to its original state, but it’s definitely not impossible.
Compromise, compromise, compromise.
Jessie and Slater were always at each other’s throats. During their educational faux-marriage lesson, Jessie wanted to split the responsibilities and have them both hold down jobs and handle household chores. Slater preferred the opposite. The two realized it would be impossible for them to pass their project angry at each other, so they came to a consensus. Relationships aren’t always about seeing eye to eye, but be willing to view and respect the other person's perspective.
Sometimes you have to swallow your pride.
Zack and Slater both pulled some douche-worthy behavior, leaving both of their girls mad at them. The guys weren’t willing to be the first one to apologize and they ended up suffering because of it. It doesn’t hurt to be the one to apologize first. Sometimes, you’ll let something rot and fester inside of you so long that you can forget the point of the argument. If you know you're wrong, swallow that pride.
Don’t just stick to one type.
Besides Zack and Kelly, Saved by the Bell’s myriad couples were random as hell. Jessie was the smart, ambitious girl who fell for the simple-minded jock. Nerdy Screech actually thought he had a chance with the stylish gossip queen. The most random of them all, though, was Zack’s brief tryst with Tori, the badass girl with the leather jacket. Considering the show took place in high school and most relationships at that level are superficial, it was refreshing to see the Bayside kids choosing something out of the norm. Hell, even Screech eventually got some.
