Gilmore Girls is truly one of the greatest coming of age shows of our time. After I finished watching the entire series on Netflix, I couldn't help but wish I had seen this show when I was growing up. In 153 episodes, this show managed to teach me a couple of important lessons about life, love, friendship, heartbreak, and family. I think it's safe to say that a piece of my heart will always be nostalgic for the picturesque, storybook town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut.
Here are some of the lessons that I learned from this very special show:
1. Caffeine is both a blessing and a curse.
I'm sure all coffee lovers out there can easily relate to Lorelai's struggle. But here is the real question at hand: is her coffee addiction endearing, or out of control? Either way, we still love her and her not so quiet need for caffeine.
2. Life is too short to be subtle.
Take a lesson from Paris Geller, the queen of telling it like it is. If you're ever in need of a reality check, look no further. While Paris is usually only looked upon as crass and unapologetic, there's a certain bravery that comes with telling people the honest truth (with a little extra embellishing, of course).
3. We all have those days where we forget how to "adult".
There's not much to say about this except that I am with you, Lorelai. We are all with you.
4. Intelligence is something to be proud of.
Rory Gilmore is the perfect example of beauty and brains. Despite being fawned over by pretty much the entire male species, she always remains blissfully unaware and never fails to put her schoolwork first. While she definitely makes some sacrifices because of it, she winds up being exactly where she's meant to be. You go, Rory.
5. Food comes before everything else.
Truer words were never spoken. I think it's safe to say that Gilmore Girls is a testament to all of the girls out there who know how to eat, and are proud of it. Food, unlike boys, will never break your heart. So dig into that sesame chicken and live your truth!
6. We can all learn to embrace our inner control freak.
Even the most easygoing people like Lorelai have certain things that make them tick, and it's really not surprising that she's a major control freak. While needing to have everything a certain way is satisfying, it's even better when you let your guard down and try to let the chips fall where they may.
7. It's OK not having your your future completely figured out yet.
While Rory has always had her sights set on the future, she naturally harbored doubts along the way. It's impossible to try and predict where life will take us, and while our society promotes having the next twenty years planned to the minute, it's okay to be unsure of where you're going. Rory figured it out, and we will too.
8. We all secretly hope that we'll meet a Dean.
Rory goes through some major relationships in her life with a couple of different gentleman suitors, but let's face it: we were all rooting for Dean. I mean, come on. He's loving, protective, funny, not to mention incredibly handsome and charming. But more importantly, he's always been crazy about Rory. While it sucks that they didn't last (spoiler alert), he played a huge role in shaping her into the woman she becomes.
9. Lazy days and junk food can heal a broken heart.
The Gilmore girls know a thing or two about dealing with heartbreak, and Lorelai's breakup advice is always on point. In my experience, there is nothing that your bed, pizza, and ice cream cannot fix.
10. College memories are meant to be cherished.
Schoolwork and extracurricular activities can take up a lot of your free time, and it's important to check in with yourself every once in awhile and make sure that you're having fun. College is the time to test the waters, make some mistakes, and create some lifelong memories that you will cherish forever.
11. You will always, always, always need your mom.
I believe that this one goes without saying. No matter how old we get, we will always need our moms in some way. Lorelai and Rory have an incredible mother daughter relationship, which is why so many mothers and daughters love this show so dearly. Shout out to my mom for being my Gilmore Girls buddy through and through, and for always being the Lorelai to my Rory.
