"Gilmore Girls" is a bit of a tradition in my family. My mom and my sister watched it, I watched it, and my younger cousins watched it. I grew up with Rory, from navigating the halls of Chiton High School to finding herself in college years. It may have aired back in 2000, but it's managed to stay relevant even in 2016 (yay for Netflix revivals!).
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Looking back on the series, I've realized how much it shaped my teenage years. It's filled with lessons that I want to pass on to my kids someday if I have them. Here are 10 of these lessons:
1) Don't let anyone stand in the way of your ambitions
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Whether it was getting into Harvard or becoming a journalist, Rory never let anyone stand in the way of her goals. Yeah, she went through that phase when she temporarily dropped out of Yale, but it wasn't long before she realized she needed to get back on track.
2) Taking risks and having fun are just as important as working hard
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Don't be afraid to live in the moment. Unless that moment involves stealing a yacht, because you should probably avoid that.
3) Coffee is incredibly important
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Got work? Stop for coffee. Running late for school? Stop for coffee. 24 hour dance marathon? Coffee.
4) The best friendships are often unexpected
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You might be surprised who you become friends with in life. That girl you hated in 10th grade could easily become one of your best friends by senior year.
5) Your first boyfriend probably isn't your soulmate
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Your mom adored him and you were certain you would marry him someday, but it just wasn't meant to be. Even if he did build you a car.
6) The whole "bad boy" phase might a necessary part of growing up
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... but it doesn't mean you should stay with him.
(ugh, I still ship Rory and Jess though).
7. You can't please everyone, and that's okay
If you can't beat 'em... well, at least you can laugh at them.
8. We're all just trying to survive this world, so we might as well do it with someone by our side
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Lorelai and Luke ftw!
9. Girls can do whatever they want, thank you very much
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Lorelai and Rory gave me some of my first lessons on feminism and I'm so glad for that.
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10. Don't forget your mom
You might argue sometimes, but if you have a mom that cares about you and is always there for you, make sure to tell her thank you.
