One of the best things to come out of the’90s, Sex And The City is a pop cultural icon and a go-to guide for women around the world. Throughout the series, Carrie Bradshaw, Miranda Hobbs, Charlotte York and Samantha Jones have had their fair share of good and bad dates with both men and women, and have taught us some valuable lessons along the way.

Here’s a round up of six things Sex And The City taught us about dating… and thank god they did .

#1 Sex Isn’t Always Great

From sleeping with men who have unusual fetishes, unexpected packages, and those who’re just plain bad in the sack, Sex And The City taught us that sex isn’t as straightforward, predictable and choreographed as we believe. The girls showed us that not all sex is going to be good; in fact sometimes it’s going to be cringeworthy, but that isn’t reason to throw in the towel altogether.

#2 You Can Get Pregnant Against The Odds

Having a one-night stand even with a lazy ovary and only one testicle in the equation seems a fairly safe bet, right? On the contrary, our beloved exes, Miranda and Steve reminded us that unless you want a mini-me crawling the face of the earth, always use protection.

#3 In The End, You’ll End Up Exactly Where You’re Meant To Be

If Carrie and Mr Big taught us anything, it’s that relationships are unpredictable rollercoasters. Despite ending up married and living happily ever after, it took them a long time, with three major break ups, some affairs and many other partners along the way.

Plus, if Charlotte hadn’t married and divorced Trey, she wouldn’t have met the love of her life, Harry. Everything happens for a reason, and we don’t need to stress about where ‘the one’ is, because we’ll end up in the right place eventually.

#4 You Do You

Sex And The City also taught us that everyone has that one friend who loves sex and everything to do with it. Samantha is the sex-obsessed, extroverted friend always willing to try new things between the sheets… and then share every detail with her girls. While it’s sometimes TMI, we’ve got to admire her confidence and it’s why we love her! You do you, and stop worrying about what anyone else has to say about it.

#5 Sometimes It’s Best To Put Yourself First

A heartbreaking moment came as Samantha ended her long-term relationship with the man she loved in order to find happiness herself. While we all cried watching her end it with Smith, we knew it was the right thing for her. Sometimes you’re better off to be happy and alone than in a relationship and miserable.

#6 Your Besties Can Be Your Soulmates Too

Sometimes we’re preoccupied with finding ‘the one’, but Sex And The City reminds us that our friends can be our true soulmates. Boys will come and go but it’s our real friends who’ll stick by us through the good and the bad. They’ll be the ones who’ll cry with us after the breakups, laugh with us in the good times, and at the end of the day, they’ll be the ones who we love endlessly.

Lesson learned? Your true friends are forever.

(Lead Image: Sex And The City / HBO)