In celebration of the current Jane Austen "self-help moment," here's some Austen-inspired Seventeen-style relationship advice.
Ever wish you could be a Jane Austen heroine? Do you recognize yourself (or anyone else) in any of these romantic dilemmas? Jane Austen's solutions might work for you!
Figure out which of Austen's heroines provided the advice in the mini-quizzes below!
Potential heroine situation #1
You've got Taylor Swift's song "You Belong with Me" permanently stuck in your head because you're crushing on a guy who never thinks of you as more than just a friend.
The rest of the story
Your crush has a thing for a girl who's completely wrong for him -- she loves hanging out with him wherever his good looks will impress other people, but she'll ditch him the minute he says anything her friends think is uncool. You're sure he'll never see through her, and you're just about ready to move on. You have other romantic prospects -- just none as great as this guy.
What should you do?
Don't give up hope -- and don't lower your standards.
The guy you really like will see through the other girl sooner or later, though it will probably get ugly first. Stay friends with him through that mess, and he may see you differently. There's no guarantee, but there's a chance -- and it's worth taking for a truly great guy.
Potential heroine situation #2
Your friends know you as the matchmaker. You're always coming up with ingenious ways of getting people together. And one day you suddenly realize that a guy you've known forever and totally taken for granted is the one you want.
The rest of the story
You and the guy have always been just good friends. Actually the two of you haven't been getting along too well lately. He called you out for running other people's love lives for them, and you're still upset. But you have been manipulative and hurt some people in the process--and he knows it.
What should you do?
Starting today, decide to be the kind of person that the people you look up to can respect.
Okay, so you realize you've been pretty obnoxious. What now? You can start trying to manipulate him, too. Or you can admit to yourself that he has a point and work to earn his respect -- and maybe more. That option is the authentic heroine choice.
Potential heroine situation #3
You're unhappy because a guy you thought liked you is afraid of commitment. Sometimes he acts like he's really into you, but then he seems depressed when you hang out, and he won't define the relationship. You just wish you knew what he was thinking.
The rest of the story
Turns out the problem is another girl. You're pretty sure he likes you better than her. But he can't seem to get his act together to tell either one of you the truth.
What should you do?
Don't think that everything will be sorted out if you just have an honest talk with the guy.
Telling the guy that you like him may seem like the simple solution. But it probably won't turn out well. He's in a mess that you just can't sort out. Instead, you need to do the tough thing: walk away. You owe it to your own heart to keep your distance, at least until he gets himself untangled.
Potential heroine situation #4
You meet a guy you're sure is The One. You hit it off right away, and all your friends think you're the perfect couple. Life is wonderful, until he suddenly stops answering your texts. And then you run into him at a party -- with another girl.
The rest of the story
You're hurt and humiliated. All of a sudden you have no appetite and don't care how you look. You get so depressed that you end up dangerously sick.
What should you do?
Next time, try not to fall in love at first sight -- take it slow until you know you can trust the guy with your heart.
And for right now, remember that your happiness matters more than you realize to the people who do love you -- your family and your real friends. If you're slipping from heartbreak into clinical depression, ask those people about getting some help.
Potential heroine situation #5
You meet two guys. You like Mr. Smooth right away; He's easy to talk to, and you just click. Mr. Awkward, on the other hand, goes from acting too good for you to suddenly announcing he's crazy in love. Totally weirded out, you tell him to forget it. But then you find out some things you didn't know -- about what both guys are really like.
The rest of the story
Mr. Smooth hasn't been honest with you -- he's a real player. And Mr. Awkward turns out to be a great guy around people he's comfortable with; he's really just shy. Now that you've gotten to know him better, he's not acting so weird, and you're starting to think you might actually like him.
What should you do?
Remember the best kind of relationship is built on respect for the guy as a person.
A player is not likely to change. He's "only gonna break break your break break your heart," as Taio Cruz would tell you. Character beats chemistry. Absolutely don't try to pretend to yourself that you have feelings for a guy when you really don't. But honesty and self-control can make a guy really attractive -- and that kind of attraction is the most solid basis for a relationship.
I hope you guessed the answers correctly, let me know how you did in the comments below. (Bonus points for actually following the advice!)