real emotions are cooler than scripted ones

THE REALITY: Unlike actors, real guys don't have a script, so it's not fair to expect flowery speeches about his undying love for you. Instead, you might hear mumbles like, "I'm really into you."
THE HAPPY ENDING: You'll see your guy for who he really is — probably nervous and a little insecure. If you manage to decode his babbling, you'll find emotions more real than any writer could capture in a screenplay. Plus, you won't have to survive an alien attack in the process.

you'll actually have stuff in common

THE REALITY: You know how in romantic comedies, strangers bump into each other and they instantly fall in love? Not. Gonna. Happen. In life, falling in love takes time, effort, and a few missteps.
THE HAPPY ENDING: It's more fun to date someone when you share more than just fate. Like, if you spot a guy in the indie section of the CD store, you know you have something in common. If you hit it off, you'll have stuff to bond over.

it's more fun not to know the ending

THE REALITY: On-screen relationships have characters who are "good" or "bad." But real life isn't simple — you might break a nice guy's heart or get dumped by a guy you still love.
THE HAPPY ENDING: The unpredictability of real relationships makes them better than movie ones. Half the fun is the excitement of seeing what will happen next. Sure, you might get your heart broken at some point, but at least you're not living out a prewritten screenplay!

heartbreak makes the story of your life richer

THE REALITY: In most romantic movies, couples fall in love, break up, then — voila! — get back together at the end while dramatic music plays. In real life, you often stay broken up after that big fight.
THE HAPPY ENDING: Real-life breakups teach you more about what you're looking for than any slo-mo montage can. Afterward, you can look back and see why it didn't work and move on to someone who doesn't think burping in your face is the funniest thing ever.