4 Important Life Lessons From ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’

If you’re familiar with the best-selling novel The Summer I Turned Pretty, then you’ve likely heard about it’s new Amazon Prime show. It’s the hit series of summer 2022, and aside from its fabulous characters, dreamy summer romances, and beautiful scenery…the storyline (provided by Jenny Han) shares a few lessons we could all benefit to learn from:

Isabelle Conklin and Taylor Jewel, played by Lola Tung and Rain Spencer, are childhood best friends. After a fight breaks out between the two, Isabelle’s mom shares an essential piece of advice, reminding Belly that boyfriends are temporary, but best friends are a lifelong relationship. Although we may go through rough patches with our best friends every once in a while, it’s important to remember the value of these bonds. Keep your besties close, and never let a silly boy get in the way of a beautiful friendship. 

Susannah, played by Rachel Blanchard, has been diagnosed with cancer and doesn’t have much time left to live. Her best friend Laurel, played by Jackie Chung, has a hard time dealing with her friend's tragic situation. Despite the unfortunate circumstances, the two women make the best out of their final summer together. Although we may not want to think about the sad reality of losing a loved one, it’s important to make every day count. You never know how much time you have left with someone, so cherish the little moments. 

Belly, the main character of the sequel, learns to navigate life as a curious sixteen-year-old girl. We watch her first kiss, her first time getting drunk, and her first time getting heartbroken. Belly reminds us that it’s okay to still be figuring yourself out. We will never know who we really are on the inside unless we push ourselves to experience new things and meet new people. 

Almost all of the characters in The Summer I Turned Pretty make mistakes throughout the story. Steven, played by Sean Kaufman, hooks up with Belly’s best friend Taylor even though he’s seeing another girl. Fueled by his insecurities, Steven makes a hurtful mistake. Overall, however, we recognize he is a truly thoughtful and caring person. There is more to people than the mistakes they make. Although it may be easier to simply pretend they’re a bad person, we should always try to understand that they are only human.

Written by: Emma Cooke