Relationship Goals

Whether it’s Ross and Rachel, or Jim and Pam, romance is at the heart of a lot of stories told on tv shows, and in movies. TV shows always seem to want the main protagonist to be involved in some kind of romantic relationship, which makes sense, because that’s something that most people can relate to. Most of the time those relationships may seem too good to be true, or maybe it’s a relationship that’s secretly toxic that no one ever really acknowledges (Ross and Rachel). However there is one that stands out to me more than the rest, April and Andy from the show Parks and Rec. 

Parks and Rec is like a parody on life. All of the characters are over the top and kind of cartoonish. The interactions between those characters, romantically and otherwise, can also seem over the top and unrealistic. Andy and April’s relationship is no different, but it has characteristics that I think are important to actual relationships. 

One thing that I admire about Andy and April’s relationship is the simplicity. The refreshingly simple dynamic of their relationship is a stark contrast to the complex nature of most relationships in the real world. There’s very little drama, and they always seem to be on the same page. They’re both open, and honest with each other. They never shy away from telling the other how they’re feeling about each other, or about something going on in their life. This led to them being very secure with the relationship once it was established. They don’t feel the need to overthink anything in their  relationship, which is what led to them getting married a few months after getting together. Part of the reason their relationship is like this is because of the compatibility of the characters involved.

April uses sarcasm and her standoffish nature to keep people at a distance. She tries to mask her emotions to keep herself from feeling vulnerable. She’s also an independent, introvert who doesn’t really like interacting with other people. She’s possibly the most complicated and layered character on the show. Andy on the other hand has a childlike naiveness, is warm and friendly to everyone,  and is a big goofball who lacks any self awareness. He is probably the most simple character on the show. They are two very different characters, but they fit perfectly together. April appreciates Andy’s goofiness, naiveness, and simplicity. Those traits allow Andy to see the best in people, and be open to different people/ideas with little to know judgement. This allows April to open up and trust Andy in a way that she doesn’t with anyone else on the show. 

Their trust and communication allowed for them to develop a deep understanding with each other. April was patient with Andy, and saw through his childlike demeanor. Andy saw through the apathetic facade that April used to mask how she really felt about things. They saw and understood everything about each other, but didn’t try to fix, or change each other. They embraced and appreciated the good and the bad that came with the other person. This led to them both feeling like they were more than adequate for each other. Creating a feeling of security, not only within their relationship, but with themselves as individuals. 

April and Andy were both immature when they first got together, but they saw the potential in each other. They motivated and inspired each other to achieve their goals. Andy wasn’t taken seriously by any of the other characters on the show except for April. She encouraged him to save money to buy a house, encouraged him to become a cop, encouraged him to create a character on a children’s TV show (Johnny Karate), supported his band, and supported him when he was asked to run his nonprofit charity for music even though it meant him moving to London for 3 months. Andy supported April when she was asked to move to Washington to work on a campaign, encouraged her to go to vet school, as well as other things. Their unconditional love and trust for each other allowed them to support each other’s dreams, and ideas without any hesitation. They knew that even if they failed at what they were doing, they would always have each other. This led to them growing, and maturing together. 

Although they were maturing, they never had trouble having fun together. Whether it was through role playing, or some other activity (usually role playing), they always found ways to entertain each other. Whenever they were alone together, Andy had the ability to unlock a side of April that no one else could. During those moments alone together, April, who’s normally pretty stoic, was almost as goofy as Andy. Nothing was ever boring when they were together, and they always enjoyed being around one another. That’s an important aspect in any relationship. 

April and Andy are my relationship goals. They matured together, supported each other, made each other better, understood and accepted each other completely, complimented each other, and had fun together. Their love and trust for each other is unmatched. Those things are necessary for any relationship to succeed, and they are what I aspire to have in a relationship.