Love Lessons Learned from How I Met Your Mother

The Purple Giraffe (Season 1, Episode 2)
           In this episode, Marshall puts off writing a 25-page paper so Ted can host a series of parties over the weekend in an attempt to impress his first love interest, Robin.  Even though Robin does not show up to the first few parties, Ted perseveres, and finally he and Robin get to spend some quality time together.  
As we HIMYM lovers know, Robin and Ted date shortly after his party, and eventually become best friends.  This episode teaches us that going out and meeting people is sometimes a better idea than staying in and doing schoolwork.  “The Purple Giraffe” gives us all a reason to head to Shooters or Devines on Thursday night instead of studying for that history exam next week.  Who knows who you might meet!
 
Nothing Good Happens After 2 A.M. (Season 1, Episode 18)
            Not much needs to be said about this one…
 
Single Stamina (Season 2, Episode 10)
          This episode speaks to those of us who go into “couple hibernation mode” come wintertime. At this point in the series, Ted and Robin are dating, as are Lily and Marshall.  To Barney’s horror, his friends have absolutely no desire to go out to bars with him.  Instead, they prefer to cuddle up with each other, watch movies in pajamas, and drink hot chocolate.  
Barney calls them “grandparents from Willy Wonka” and invites his party-loving brother to New York in a desperate attempt to get his friends out of the apartment.  However, after spending some time with his brother, Barney realizes his brother is also in a serious relationship.  This episode teaches us the importance of balancing our social lives.  While staying in with your boyfriend to watch a movie is perfectly acceptable, make sure that you are also making time to go out with your friends!

Stuff (Season 2, Episode 16)
            In this episode, Robin is angry with Ted because he still has all of the “stuff” from his previous relationships around his apartment.  Ted thinks that it is no big deal to keep things from his exes, and he promises Robin that it doesn’t even remind him of them.  Robin, on the other hand, looks at all of the “stuff” and can’t help but see her competition, all of the girls from Ted’s past.  From this episode, we learn the importance of getting rid of your boyfriend’s “stuff” if you break up with him.  Keeping it will only remind you of him, making getting over him much harder and possibly preventing the formation of any future relationships.
 
Spoiler Alert (Season 3, Episode 8)
           
One of my favorite episodes, “Spoiler Alert”, addresses the period of infatuation that couples go through during their first few months of dating.  During this time, both members of the new relationship are completely obsessed with each other.  Unfortunately, much of this infatuation comes from the novelty of a developing relationship, and it tends to fade after the couple has spent some time together.  It is difficult to recognize your love’s flaws early on in the relationship. In this episode, Ted begins dating a girl who he sees as the epitome of perfection.  His friends have a very different take on Ted’s new girl; they find her incessant chatter to be extremely annoying, something that Ted is clearly oblivious to.  When Ted’s friends finally enlighten him the infatuation period is immediately over, and Ted breaks up with her.  This episode teaches us the importance of recognizing that no one is perfect, even the new prince charming in your life has one or two flaws.
 
The 
Goat (Season 3, Episode 17)
           In “The Goat”, Barney and Robin hook-up and try to keep the intimate night they shared a secret from Ted.  This episode teaches us a very important lesson- don’t hook up with your best friend’s ex or your ex’s best friend.  Nothing good will ever come of it, and chances are you will feel very guilty and very awkward.  In the end, Ted “breaks up” with Barney for his violation of the bro code (don’t worry, it is only temporary!).
 
 
Happily Ever After (Season 4, Episode 6)
            We all have had that awkward encounter with someone that we would really rather not see.  Whether it is an ex, an old teacher from middle school, or a family friend, we often try our best to temporarily disappear as they walk into the room.  This episode gives an example of such a situation, when Ted’s ex-fiancée Stella walks into a restaurant where he and his friends are dining.  Ted is so desperate to avoid her that he forces his friends to hide underneath the dinner table until she leaves.  Because Stella left Ted for another man, Ted feels a great deal of animosity towards her and never wants to speak to her again.  At the end of the episode, Ted goes to Stella’s house to confront her about the horrible way in which she ended their relationship, and he sees Stella happily embracing her boyfriend and daughter.  At that moment, Ted’s anger completely dissolves, and he realizes that their breakup was inevitable.  This episode teaches us two important lessons.  One, don’t sit under a table to avoid talking to someone.  Two, after you breakup with someone, don’t hold onto your anger.  Instead, accept that relationships end (and not always in the best way) and move forward with your life.
 
Hooked (Season 5, Episode 16)
            This episode teaches us not to be a “hooker” or a “hookee”… concepts that may need a bit of clarification.  In many relationships, especially those incollege, one person tends to dominate the other.  In “Hooked”, Ted begins dating Henrietta, for whom he has a bit of an unhealthy obsession.  
In a desperate attempt to keep her in his life, he satisfies her every need, baking her chocolate cake, giving her foot massages, and being there for her whenever she calls.  In this case, he is the “hookee,” Henrietta (the “hooker”) strings him along, making him think that he has a chance with her, when really she has another man in her life whom she has every intention of being with.  Ted fails to realize that he is being played, and his attempts to be with Henrietta become more pathetic as she continues to tell him that she just can’t be with him “right now.”  (These are the two key words to the “hooker/hookee” phenomenon, as they prevent an immediate relationship but also give a person hope for the future, preventing them from moving on, and ultimately allowing the “hooker” to have complete control.)  This episode of HIMYM teaches us not to be the “hooker” or the “hookee,” instead we should base our relationships on equality and mutual respect.
 
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