How To Successfully Watch Love Island UK--Saffiya

 We all have a guilty pleasure, whether it is indulging in way too much ice cream or

rewatching Disney movies that you know you are too old for. Whatever it is, we all have one and I am no exception. I binge watch Love Island—both U.S and UK versions—nonstop.

Before I share some tips, let me give a brief overview of this series. Love Island is definitely lower on the popularity scale when it comes to reality TV shows, but let’s get one thing straight, it is NOT The Bachelor. Basically, a group of singles come onto this show in hopes of finding love—supposedly. All the contestants live in a luxurious villa together, on an island that varies each year, for about two months. They get to know one another in a fast paced environment while simultaneously testing the strengths of their relationship through amusing, but also intimate challenges.

So here is what you you should know before beginning Love Island UK:

1. What You See Is Not the Full Truth:
1 hour TV time vs. 24 hours of interaction

Most reality shows only air for about an hour each episode, regardless of the fact that the cast is still interacting around the clock. This means that the audience does not see all that goes on, but rather, only what the producers consider to be the most crucial and entertaining events. So even though it is easy to cast judgement—especially with these types of shows—it is best to remember that the full story is rarely shown, and scenes are exploited for dramatic purposes.

TV Personalities
The cast knows that they are constantly being filmed. As a result, islanders could be

acting more cautious than usual because nobody wants to come off as a disingenuous person or inversely, exaggerating their feelings and acting out of character to get their fifteen minutes of fame. This is just something to keep in mind when having strong assumptions about any of the members.

2. Know the Background: American Slang =/ British Slang
It is no secret that Americans and Brits talk differently, and I’m not just referring to

accents. Both say different phrases that have similar meanings and have distinct slang that is not entirely straightforward. So I made a list of common sayings used within the series that you should know:

● all your eggs in one basket - putting all your time and effort into one romantic interest

● banter (​n.​) - a playful, flirty, conversation

• ●  fit (​adj.)​ - extremely good-looking; goes beyond being just physically attractive

• ●  graft (​v.)​ - working hard to romantically win someone over

• ●  muggy (​adj.​) - someone who is playing you; two-faced; being a disloyal/disingenuous

  person (you do NOT want to be labeled as muggy)

• ●  pie off (​v.)​ - to reject someone, ignore a love interest, or dump a significant other

• ●  the ick (​n.​) - a sudden discomfort towards someone you were attracted to or romantically

  involved with, who no longer appeals to you

• 
  
  
  

3. Take Note of Islander’s Personal Growth
In the first episode, each islander has a miniature introduction where they say some basic

facts about themselves: name, residence, occupation, hobbies, and typical type. I have realized that you can tell a lot about the person from their initial opening, but they can still change throughout. It takes everyone in the villa time to adjust to their new surroundings and the new people they are going to be living with for a while. So even though a clip may give you preconceived notions about a member, you shouldn’t solidify those opinions until you have seen enough of their true character (or as true as reality TV will show you) to validate your thoughts. Once you are further into the season, look out for who is on the show to genuinely find love and who is just there for a publicity boost.

4. Watch with Friends
This might seem obvious, but watching reality TV with friends makes it more enjoyable.

Based on the first episode, you and your friends can share first impressions of the cast and how compatible you think each original couple is. By sharing thoughts on the episodes, you realize when you are letting neglectful behavior slide because of bias towards a specific person or couple. For example, my friend and I watched the most recent season together, and even after a person acted distant to his partner, I continued to support them as a pair because of trivial aspects rather than compatibility. It took listening to her opinion to notice that the two individuals had major differences and a weak connection. After finishing the season, you can compare your first and final impressions of each cast member to see how accurate your initial judgement of character was.

5. Expect to be Disappointed
The way you want things to turn out is rarely how they actually end up. A season is about

two months long—and in the villa—a day is ample time to ruin a connection. Anything from a simple game, to disrespect can cause pairs to split; even boredom plays a role. The point is, there are just too many factors that could potentially end a relationship on this show, leading to your disappointment. Nine times out of ten, the couple you are rooting for will have issues. The most important thing to remember is that after getting through all the challenges or even winning the cash prize at the end, that does not attest to a couples’ life on the outside. Even though two people leave the show in a committed relationship, their status as a couple in the real world is

fairly new. A relationship on the island is not the same as a relationship off the island. It takes time for the individuals to adjust back to their normal environment, and sometimes they recognize it just won’t work out. I am not saying that relationships are doomed to fail once out of the villa, but I have personally stopped getting my hopes up. oop

So if you are about to start this series one last takeaway is, watch it for the drama and entertainment of it all, not for the expectation of love.

image from ​https://www.theringer.com/tv/2019/7/9/20687456/love-island-dictionary