'Friends' is my absolute favorite show. I will watch every single episode and when I am done, I will start over again. Watching television shows brings you into their world and makes you feel like you are a part of the storyline. While this quirky group of friends is fictitious, growing up watching them has transformed me into a better person. Every single one in the bunch has good qualities that I have been able to pick up.
1. Monica Geller
GiphyMonica has taught me how to be a neater individual. While her constant cleaning can become pesky on the show, it has taught me to take cleaning more seriously. I have never been a terribly clean individual – if you asked my dad, he would call me a pig. But I have always admired Monica's ethics and commitment to keeping things tidy. I have noticed myself cleaning more often and even cleaning when stressed. I used to be unbothered by a little clutter, and now it drives me mad. My friends have even noticed the change in me and have commented on me becoming Monica slowly.
2. Chandler Bing
Chandler has taught me to find humor during the bad times. While he uses sarcasm as a mask to cope with his traumatic childhood and family problems, he still is able to find the light at the end of the tunnel. If anything, he is able help his friends feel better while they are struggling. is a sensitive individual that cares deeply about the people in his life, even when he makes fun of them. I have found myself using humor not to cope myself, but to help others cope.
3. Joey Tribbiani
Joey has taught me to never give up. Throughout most of the show, he is a struggling actor. Yes, he gets cast as Doctor Drake Ramoray on The Days of Our Lives, but he quickly gets fired before he gets cast back on seasons later. Even during the times when he is struggling to find work, he is constantly auditioning and not letting the rejection get to him. He follows his dreams, even if they do not always pay out. He has taught me to do what I love (writing) and even if I fall to get back up and try again.
4. Phoebe Buffay
Phoebe has to be the quirkiest of them all. She has taught me to always be myself, no matter what people think. She always does what she loves, even if she is not great at it. For example, she always sings at Central Perk even though she is terrible. I mean, she believes she is a good that is neither here nor there. She is definitely eclectic and is not afraid to show it. She is completely Phoebe and refuses to be anybody else. She has taught me to be okay with who I am. If I want to wear something that is not entirely the style, do it! She has made me a better version of me
5. Rachel Greene
Rachel, though her journey has been scary, has grown up throughout the show and has made a life for herself without her father's help. While she leans on her friends sometimes, she is a very strong, independent woman. She moved to the big city escape a marriage that she would not have been happy in and in the city, she found her true friends and her life. While she starts at a job waitressing at the coffee house, she eventually gets a shot to pursue her dreams and work in the fashion industry. She is a good spouse, worker, mother, and friend. She has taught me that if I am unhappy with how something is in my life, I can change it.
6. Ross Geller
Ross will do anything for his friends and his caring nature has rubbed off on me and my relationships. I can think of a few examples, but I have a few Ross moments that trump others. When Ross is teaching his son, Ben, to ride a bike – it comes out that Phoebe has never had a bike and she was jealous of the neighbor girls' bike growing up as it was pink with a white basket that was dressed in daisies. Ross took it upon himself to not only buy her that exact bike but teach his 30-something-year-old friend how to ride it. He also bought Joey that dog statue when all of his things were getting repossessed in hopes to cheer him up. He wants his spouses and friend's to be happy, even if that means risking everything.
Together, the group of six friends has taught me about a healthy, adult, friendship. I have learned from them all individually, but without each other – they would not be the best version of themselves they can be. They help each other when they are down and support one another when they are up. 'Friends' is my favorite show not only for the witty tag-lines and laughs it gives but for the way it has made me a better person.
