6 relationship lessons from this season of Love Island USA

This season of Love Island USA brought us some iconic friendships, great laughs, good old-fashioned Casa Amor drama, and a movie night to remember. And while this group of young, hot islanders is about to rejoin civilization outside the Villa, it’s worth highlighting some of the lessons they shared throughout this experience.

Not all of us can have an all-expenses-paid summer in Fiji, but we can all live our own Love Island summer with these six lessons:

Use protection!

During their time at the Hideaway—a private room where islanders can spend some time alone with sex toys and everything they might need for a good time—islanders Zach and Kayda were excited to share that while they didn’t use any toys, they did use condoms. And, all other islanders cheered with excitement!

Everyone loves french fries

And we’re not talking about the food. “French fries” and “DJing” are just two of the code words couples use when they use their fingers for stimulation. There is only one room, with a row of beds where each couple sleeps, but that doesn’t stop islanders from exploring each other’s bodies. And, DJing or getting french fries, is a great way to focus on sex with or without penetration. Touching can be just as satisfying, and a great way to explore what you and your partner enjoy.

Always ask if you can have a kiss

This season came out swinging with steamy makeouts from day one. Corbin may come across as stoic—maybe even a little AI-coded—but he got one thing very, very right: he asked before he kissed. Every. Single. Time. Asking for a yes (and actually accepting a no) is something we don’t see enough on TV. Turns out, consent is swoony.

It’s okay to explore

Throughout the season, many islanders were criticized for being lustful, which really meant they were exploring several connections to see which was the right fit. But exploring can lead you to your ideal partner. Is okay to leave connections that aren’t working. You deserve to find someone you feel more connected to. The best part? Being excited about someone new doesn’t have to come at anyone else’s expense. Honesty, with yourself and your partners, could get you closer to what you actually want.

And wanting something different from what you have—whether it’s to end things or take a relationship to the next level—is okay, as long as you speak honestly and openly about it.

Honesty hits different

Speaking of, Sincere and KC got into a lot of trouble, not for exploring other connections, but for lying and disrespecting some of the other islanders. And lying by omission is still lying. Have the tough conversations. They’re hard at first, but those are the conversations that build trust and bring you closer together. See Trinity and Bryce: they weren’t playing, they knew what they wanted, said it clearly, and made it official during their first date outside the Villa. Goals.

The prize is not being picked — the prize is being respected

Melanie dropped this iconic line after seeing Sincere disrespect her over and over again with the excuse that he “always picked her in the end.” Finding out the person you care about and have feelings for reciprocates those feelings is great, but those feelings don’t mean much when you are constantly put down, and someone crosses your boundaries. Being picked is good; having a healthy relationship based on trust and respect is even better.

Watching the Villa spiral is peak entertainment, but not gonna lie, some of that mess doubles as a masterclass in what to do (and definitely not do) with your own connections.