As someone who came late to both the Netflix and "Gossip Girl" phenomena, the day that I first chose to watch "Gossip Girl" changed my life. I have always strived to be a powerful woman, and watching the character of Blair Waldorf progress through the seasons inspired me. Watching Blair navigate social and professional situations fascinated me. But what was it about Blair that exhilarated me?
Perhaps it was her constant ability to find her own way of adapting to change.
Blair had so many tense situations and drastic changes occur in her life, but no matter how much she struggled to accept them at first, she always managed to handle them in her own way and with as much grace as she could muster.
Blair often seemed unapproachable and mean, but the love that she had for her family and closest friends was incomparable. When she and Serena got into an argument, there was no doubt in my mind that they'd recover. I had always wanted a friend who was as close to me as Serena was to Blair. I lived vicariously through Blair's friendship with Serena.
Her professional, yet feminine fashion sense was something that I tried to emulate. I started choosing pieces based on 1) whether I liked them, and 2) whether Blair would approve. It was the quintessential example of "What Would Blair Waldorf Do?" and it increased my own sense of style.
The most important lesson I learned from Blair, however, was what it meant to be my authentic self and to never compromise that.
Despite the various negative aspects of the show - hazing, excessive drinking, drugs - the best thing I learned was that "People don't tell you who you are, you tell them." Although it was Serena who uttered these words, her counseling of Blair fully represented the Waldorf aesthetic. This quote became my mantra. Although I would never consider myself timid, I began to step outside my comfort zone and do things that I normally wouldn't do. I joined a sorority, despite my family and friends back home telling me that I wasn't "the sorority type of girl." I ran for a position on student government, despite being told that I would never have a large impact on my university. Finally, I ran for president of the Panhellenic Council because I was told that leading the council wasn't the best fit for me and to look into other less influential opportunities.
Although I might've done some of these things without the influence of Blair, I would never have been able to do them as confidently as I have.
