’Tis The Season For A Samantha Jones Summer

Samantha gives this zinger of a one-liner in Sex and the City’s pilot, setting the scene for her attitude throughout the series. Essentially, she’s encouraging her friends to stop waiting on the fallacy of Prince Charming. Instead, enjoy the present moment and all it has to offer: beach weekends, bonfires, outdoor concerts, and rooftop bars.

After Charlotte reads an article that claims women only get two great loves in their lifetime, the girls start discussing their past (and current) romantic choices. Samantha — always a realist — explains how she isn’t on the lookout for Earth-shaking love, just Earth-shaking orgasms.

You don’t need to have intriguing philosophical debates or sweet nothings... at least not over the next three months. Instead, let your hormones take the lead.

Samantha unapologetically seeks out what she wants — and often, what she wants is great sex. In this quote, she puts a SATC twist on a classic saying about lessons learned. But in this scenario, she isn’t worried about being fooled, she’s worried about having a mediocre time in bed.

Take this as your sign to raise your standards this summer. Just because you’re single doesn’t mean you can’t want the best for yourself.

Knowing what you do *not* want is just as important as knowing what you do. When Miranda tells Samantha that her “new favorite thing to do on a Saturday night is Steve’s laundry,” Samantha doesn’t hesitate to share how much she disagrees.

While Samantha could have delivered this message with a little more sensitivity, her point stands: Stay true to your wants — especially while you’re single and are not obligated to compromise your Saturday night plans for your partner.

Knowing yourself is powerful. Are all of these attributes admirable all of the time? Definitely not. But being single gives you time to learn more about yourself and your quirks, good and bad.

Throughout Sex and the City, Samantha is constantly a beacon of self-confidence. She accepts herself fully — even her flaws. Think of this summer as an opportunity to do the same.

Yes, your single summer can include as many casual hookups as your heart desires. (Please remember to stay safe, though!) That said, just because you aren’t looking for a relationship doesn’t mean you can’t have standards.

If you need to end things with a certain someone this summer, skip the friendly anti-ghost text and consider quoting this Samantha Jones moment instead. Truly, it doesn’t get more iconic (or cutting) than this.

No matter whom you date, it can be easy to put all of your emotional needs on that person. While you are single summer-ing, focus instead on finding other ways to fill your cup, whether that’s attempting a new hobby or joining a new gym.

If you want your relationship status to remain unchanged, look to have fun with your roster, rather than searching for a soulmate connection.

Write! This! One! Down! After Samantha has sex with a man for his first time, she has to give him a reality check: Not every intimate encounter equals forever love.

As you navigate the (sometimes treacherous) waters of hot girl summer, keep this mantra in mind — for your sake and everyone else’s.

Often, celebrated milestones seem reserved for couples: anniversaries, engagements, weddings, and yes, baby showers. Set aside a night this summer to change that.

Look to Samantha for inspiration on how to host a party solely to celebrate your current life. Think champagne, balloons, and plenty of self-love.

One downside of living in a city? There aren’t many gardeners... because there aren’t many gardens. Samantha knows how to make the most of time outside of NYC — by embracing all the ’burbs have to offer.

Other options: dating the lifeguard at the beach, making out with the hot local farmer in the country (à la every Hallmark movie), or hooking up with the tour guide on your Euro trip.

One of Samantha’s best moments? When she defends herself against Carrie’s judgment. ICYMI, after Carrie walks in on Samantha going down on a delivery guy, the sex columnist is openly critical of Samantha’s decision, prompting this perfect comeback.

Keep this moment in mind as you date this summer. TLDR; don’t stress over other people’s opinions — as long as it’s consensual, feel empowered to do what you want with whomever you want.

Again, Samantha has a way of distilling her friends’ dilemmas down to their simplest, most rational components. After Charlotte expresses concerns about dating someone, Samantha simplifies things in a perfectly succinct way.

The synopsis: You don’t necessarily need to see a future with every person you date. As long as you’re enjoying your time together, keep doing you.