Everything I Need to Know, I Learned From Jim and Pam

So we all know that The beloved Office is coming to an end in a matter of days. Sob, it is hard to let things go after nine years. As I have mentioned before, somewhere on the internet (I don’t remember where or why or when) I am not an avid Office watcher anymore. I lost interest right around when Jim and Pam got married because I am a horrible human being and I only like back-and-forth relationships, not ones that work out, which is–wait for it–why I’m single. I mean, so sue me, I am happy that Jim and Pam are happy (happy-ish, I hear?), but I just really miss the early days of cute Jim faces and swaying while listening to the same earbuds, you know? It’s the beginning stuff that is really great plus I think marriage and kids are super boring, but I totally still love and appreciate everything that Jim and Pam taught me throughout their history on the show, and I love John Krasinski and Jenna Fischer, and their relationship to each other and after Jenna was on Jimmy Fallon the other day, I just…cried, and then wrote this. So here we go, a tribute to one of the very best television couples of all-time.

EINTKILF Jim and Pam

1. It really is the little things.
…like when someone falls asleep on your shoulder. That is the difference between a day and a “not a bad day.”

If that is not the truest thing I ever wrote, I don’t know what is. I spent the afternoon at a park playing Scattergories yesterday, and it was probably the best day of my life so far. I didn’t spend a dime, I wasn’t wearing makeup, I was in yoga pants and a tank top I usually sleep in, there was no alcohol in my system, and I had the best day of all. How can I top hanging out in the sun with my best girl, my favorite barista / person in the world, and a boy I have an ever-increasing giantess crush on? I don’t even want to try.

2. Italian food is pretty darn adorable.

Pam: Jim’s just really passionate about Italian food. 
Jim: Yeah, I’m very passionate about Italian food. In fact, I’m in love with Italian food.

(For the record, I pretty much hate Italian food.)

3. It is okay to date your coworkers.
I got into an argument with the boy who would eventually be my first boyfriend because he mentioned AS AN EXCUSE TO AVOID HIS FEELINGS FOR ME that it was stupid to date coworkers because you could break up and yadda yadda yadda. First of all, this guy and I worked in a grocery store in very different departments, so it wasn’t even a huge deal. We dated, and we broke up obviously, but we had both quit the store at that point anyway. Even if we had both been working at the same place, I need to hop up on a soapbox and tell you guys that leaning on any excuse to stop you from doing what you both wantis ridiculous. Jim and Pam never even really explored the “we can’t date because we work together” thing, which I appreciate, but I think they are also a really great example of coworkers making it work. Yes, I know they aren’t real people, but shut up.

4. Other people are the worst.
Roy was awful. I love when he and Jim play against each other in basketball, or basically anytime Jim was better than Roy, which was always.

Jim: Is that trash talk from Pam?
Pam: I’m just sayin’…Roy is really competitive and he wants to take the waverunners to the lake this Saturday, so…
Jim: Well I’m going to the outlet mall on Saturday, so if you want to save big on brand names, and Roy has to work, which he will because I’m also competitive, you should come along.
Pam: Ummm, I think I’m gonna be up at the lake.
Jim: I think I’ll see you at the mall. Yeah.

Listen, as a really nice girl who always dates idiots, I love the Pam and Roy and Jim thing, and I wish that all men were Jim Halpert because I have had a lot of men that were really similar to Roy type jerks, but not a whole lotta Halperts.

And then we had Karen, who was incredible mostly because she was played by Rashida Jones, and she was fun and awesome and beautiful, but…you know…we hate when people get in the way of true love, am I right?

5. Tell her how you feel!

Jim: Hey, uh, can I talk to you about something?
Pam: About when you want to give me more of your money? We can go inside. Feeling kinda good tonight.
Jim: It’s just, um, I’m in love with you. I’m really sorry if that’s weird for you to hear, but I just need you to, uh, hear it.

Jim: I just needed you to know. Once.

BUT THEN HE DOESN’T EVEN CARE AND FINDS HER AND JUST KISSES HER ANYWAY. F YEAH JIM HALPERT.

6. Tell him how you feel!
Pam: Jim, I called off my wedding because of you, and now we’re not even friends, and things are just weird between us and that sucks. And I miss you. You were my best friend before you went to Stanford, and I really miss you. I shouldn’t have been with Roy, and there are a lot of reasons I called off my wedding, but the truth is, I didn’t care about any of those reasons until I met you.

“Beach Games” is one of my favorite episodes ever because Pam is so…Pam. She is honest and bold and wonderful, and I love her little speech to Jim (and everyone, really) because it isn’t extremely eloquent or well planned, but the woman just walked across fire! And sometimes telling someone how you feel looks a lot like this sputtering of “I miss you”s and “this suck”s, and that is really the reality of it.

7. High-fives, you guys.

They are the cutest, and that is all. 

8. Waiting isn’t the worst idea.

Jim: For a really long time that’s all I had. Little moments with a girl who saw me as a friend. And, a lot of people told me I was crazy to wait this long for a date with a girl I work with but I think, even then I knew that…I was waiting for my wife.

AGAIN WHY AREN’T ALL MEN JIM HALPERT?

9. Dorks are the best. 
Jim: I still can’t believe he didn’t call her back. Who doesn’t call a dork like that back?

Jim: Come on, get out there. Give the people what they want.
Pam: No, I’m such a dorky dancer.
Jim: I know. And it’s very cute.

Pam: You are such a dork! Shots!
Jim: So apparently Pam went out last night, and accidentally called my work phone at 3:00 in the morning.
Pam (on phone): I’m not drunk.
Jim: I’m on minute six of this message.
Pam (on phone): Okay, I do not sound like that.
Man on phone: You can take the girl out of Philly.
Pam (on phone): Scranton!
Jim: The future mother of my children.

Pam: We should probably head back.
Jim: Yeah. Okay. Oh. I dare you to make an announcement.
Pam: You dare me? How old are you?
Jim: Just quit stalling.
Pam: Luke, this is your father. Come set the table for dinner.
Jim: Such a dork.

10. “You gotta take a chance on something sometime.”
I mean, you just have to. 

Featured image via ew.com, Italian food kiss via people.com, Karen image and Casino Night image via fanpop.