I'm Still Single Because No Man Will Ever Be Troy Bolton

On January 20, High School Musical turns 20 (!). To mark the occasion, I will be attending a watch party replaying all three movies. So can I take a moment to say, Troy Bolton, you ruined me (and a generation of girls, probably), for any other boy.

In my adult life I have gone on probably ten dates. And surely with less than ten people. (Some of those dates were second and third rendezvous.) While I wouldn't say I'm a die-hard HSM fan—that's reserved for my friend who can dance every number—it was one of the few pieces of pop culture I was allowed to consume as a child. That's to say, HSM made a big impression on my tween self. It inspired me to start a "drama club" with my friends...though we principally used that time to read Troy/Gabriella and Zac/Vanessa fan fiction. Now, as an adult dating in New York, I've got to give Troy the credit. He was an objectively good dude in a world where there seems to be fewer and fewer.

I'm not saying he was perfect. Over the course of three movies, he somehow ALWAYS managed to lose Gabriella. ("Gabriella means nothing to me" is still seared in my brain. IYKYK.) But the important thing is he always won her back in a sweet, non-toxic way. And he had all the qualities that I'm honestly looking for in many adults.

First, he was driven. Captain of the basketball team? Check. Spring musical lead? Check. Then, senior year he goes and gets himself, a "jock," into Cal?! For you non-Californians, Berkeley is often ranked the number one public university in the country. Everyone I knew who got in (minus one swimmer) was an exemplary student. Notably, Troy was on a sports scholarship...but, hey, that's a testament to the fact that he is a hard worker—even if it's just on the basketball court.

Perhaps more importantly, he was in touch with—and unafraid of—his emotions. In a recent New York Times interview, Kristen Stewart remarked that acting is "unmasculine," requiring actors to embrace the vulnerability and submissiveness of casting aside their own identities for that of a role's. Of course, the major plot point of the first HSM movie is that Troy throws himself into the world of drama—much to Ms. Darbus's chagrin. He dances. He sings. He'll put on a costume. Then, he turns around and gets his head in the game.

Troy's most shining quality, however, is the willingness to admit he's wrong. It doesn't come without struggle. "Bet on It" and "Scream" were two iconic musical numbers in which he must work through his inner turmoil. In the end, though, Troy comes around and makes things right. Do you know how hard it is for people to admit they're wrong?! Even without the two aforementioned qualities, this alone makes him a big green flag.

Growing up with HSM as my primary cultural backdrop, it makes sense that Troy Bolton, prime example of healthy masculinity, would form the foundation of what I believed made a "good" man. For that reason, I'm probably ruined for all others. Guys, please take a page.