I have been watching Indian serials with my parents since I was little so I have seen my fair share of them. I've lasted till about 100 episodes of every soap opera I have ever watched and then after that point, I started noticing all these little things that were just so irritating, but valuable life lessons nonetheless.
1. Honesty is the best policy
https://pixabay.com/photos/good-bad-opposite-choice-choose-1123013/
Whenever I ask myself why the main character wasn't honest about something so simple, I realize why 300 episodes later when it comes back to bite them in the a**. Here's to saving myself 300 episodes of drama.
2. Things aren't always as they seem
https://pixabay.com/illustrations/disturbed-illusion-mood-child-dark-1301208/
Indian dramas have this way of stringing you along, leading you to believe one thing and then they just backtrack, leading you to question your whole life at that point. Only in Indian dramas are you allowed to imagine a scenario so real you might actually believe it happened. Almost like hitting the back button after you've seen that preview, yikes.
3. Be aware of your surroundings
https://pixabay.com/photos/camouflage-hiding-commando-hidden-1381983/
Never, EVER discuss important things happening in your life out in the open. You never know who could be eavesdropping in a plot to ruin your life such as: your jealous second removed cousin, your stepmother, stepsister, and her grandma, your evil mother-in-law.
4. Everybody, and I mean EVERYBODY, has their own agenda
https://pixabay.com/illustrations/agenda-board-chalk-wood-management-1616853/
Not everyone has your best interest in mind (refer to point number three). So don't be naive and trust everyone, especially when they already screwed you over once.
5. Don't be nice ALL the time
http://www.bara-art.com/help-with-climbing/
It almost never pays off to be the sweet, kind-hearted main character. Imagine picking up someone's handkerchief from the roadside, handing it to them, then going on your way. You thought that was it, right? Well, now you have this crazy stalker person in love with you giving off major "If I can't have you, then no one can" vibes. Now you regret picking up that handkerchief, don't you?
6. Know your worth
https://unsplash.com/photos/FG1FcfLA_I8
Some of these antagonists really don't know how to let go. Even when it's VERY much clear that the male lead has zero interest in them. The amount of time, effort, and deceit that goes into trying to woo him is just sad when they could've been spending it on becoming, I don't know, maybe, better people?
7. Your enemies may be closer than you think
https://pixabay.com/photos/angry-eggs-unhappy-640314/
As mentioned in point three, many of the antagonists in your life end up being those close to you for who knows what reason.
8. Learn from your mistakes
https://pixabay.com/photos/roller-coaster-amusement-park-1209490/
This is when the main character repeats the same mistakes they made 500 episodes ago! Going through that emotional rollercoaster, solving everything, just to jump on that same rollercoaster?! DID YOU LEARN NOTHING?
