Amazon Prime’s top hit television series, “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” has taken social media and college culture by storm. Each episode showcasing Isabel “Belly” Conklin and her two love interests, brothers Jeremiah and Conrad Fisher, leaves fans wondering what will happen next. One question, however, divides fans into two categories: Team Jeremiah or Team Conrad?

For college students nationwide, the show isn’t just bingeworthy TV to watch with friends on a Saturday night, but also explores the ups and downs of growing up through relatable characters.  

Throughout the three seasons, the characters undergo physical, emotional and spiritual changes that help them grow. Similarly, many college students experience the same changes throughout their young adult life.

This week, GCSU students had a lot to say about the love triangle that has college students hooked. When asked their opinion, many students chose Conrad over Jeremiah. 

“I’m Team Conrad because he is the better brother and he actually took time to better himself,” said Hailey Paige, a freshman psychology major. “I wouldn’t date either of the brothers because they both have stuff they need to work on, but Conrad is putting in the effort to better himself and Jeremiah is not,” she admitted.

However, some have not always stayed loyal to one team. “I’m definitely Team Conrad. As a lover of “The Summer I turned Pretty,” I’ve kind of progressed. I used to be team Jeremiah, but then slowly I realized that Conrad was the better option after seeing how mature he was,” said Sydney Williams, a freshman marketing major. 

Looking at their responses, Paige and Williams value characteristics such as maturity and accountability in a partner, which they think are essential for a healthy, long-term relationship. Paige also mentioned how neither is perfect, but a person who learns from their mistakes is better than one who has no desire to change. 

“I’m Team Conrad, but I don’t really want her (Belly) to end up with either of them. I think it’s too messy and she should just walk away,” said Bridget Mainor, a junior psychology and philosophy major. 

Choosing yourself when having to decide between two people can be difficult, but as Mainor said, it can be an escape from drama and mental health struggles down the road.

 The common theme among the students who chose team Conrad is a desire for more complex relationships during a transition into adulthood. In the dating world, college students like Belly find comfort in the predictable and stable.

In the show, Belly’s situation with both boys is similar to the “talking stage,”  the commonly known term where friendship and romance blur together, and it can be difficult to determine which is which. While Belly’s indecisiveness can be tied to her emotional immaturity, it also serves as a reminder of the ups and downs of dating in college. 

Among GCSU students, which team wins? While all three interviewees chose team Conrad, they noted that both brothers have their strengths and weaknesses that make them complex and relatable characters. In the end, it depends on the viewer’s values and dating history. For now, however, the show continues to spark late-night watch parties and campus debates.