For the past few years, I heard many times that "Friends" is the best television sitcom of all time, but up until a miracle happened on January 1st, 2015, I had no way of watching and appreciating the show fully. On this day that shall go down in history, all 236 episodes of the glorious show, "Friends," was made available exclusively on Netflix. I remember patiently waiting until the new year just so I could binge watch this show and see what all the hype was about. I can honestly say that this show lived up to my high expectations and even more. One thing I took from watching "Friends" was seeing how each character, Ross Geller, Monica Geller, Rachel Green, Joey Tribbiani, Chandler Bing and Phoebe Buffay were unique and praiseworthy in their own way.

1. Ross Geller: Be the best older sibling.

Many of the people I have talked to about Ross and Monica's sibling relationship, including myself, felt weird over how they were "too close for comfort", but looking deep down, putting those awkward moments aside, I absolutely loved the way they treated each other, especially how Ross treated Monica as an older brother. He defended her with their parents at all times, even though he was the clear favorite, helped her through all of her break-ups and supported her no matter the circumstance. Being the eldest child in my family, I always dreamed of having an older sibling to look up to and have extra protection from. I watched how Ross always had Monica's back and brought out the best in her. It gave me insight on how I can work on being the best older sibling I can possibly be to my younger brother. Yes, my brother and I have our typical sibling rivalries and we do not get along all the time, but I will always be there for him and have his best interest at heart. Thank you, Ross, for setting an example for not only me but to all viewers of "Friends" that are lucky enough to serve as a role model to their younger brother or sister.

2. Monica Geller: Cleanliness is never a bad thing.

If you have ever watched "Friends," you surely have come to learn that Monica is more of a neat-freak than your mother ever was. She is comically obsessive about the state of her apartment. You can always find her vacuuming (and vacuuming the vacuum, which is my personal favorite), organizing her shelves and cleaning the bathroom (17 times a day even if people are using it). She even claims that going to the dry cleaner is equivalent of going to Disneyland! One "neat-freak Monica" moment that really stuck out to me was when she found out that Ross had been dating a girl that had an unbearable messy apartment, she shows up to her door with a bucket of soap and a broom and asks if she can clean, stating that "she will not be able to sleep if she doesn't let her clean it."

The conversation ends with a door slammed in Monica's face, but soon after, she takes the time to clean the door frame instead. Monica taught me that tidiness and organization are important. No matter what, your living area should be cleaned appropriately, especially if you are having guests over, or else you will most likely be embarrassed when people see your mess. This helped me because I live in a dorm room with two other people. I always like to keep my side of the room neat and tidy and have my bed made. Seeing other rooms dirty and messy grinds my gears, so I honestly feel Monica's pain when it comes to a messy space. Thank you, Monica, for relating to me, and always reminding me that having a clean room can never hurt anyone!

3. Rachel Green: Growing up is hard but well worth the struggle.

Do you "Friends" fans remember the first episode way back in season one, how the group of friends met Rachel? Let me refresh your memory. Joey, Monica, Chandler, Ross, and Phoebe were sitting on the couch in Central Perk just chatting, when they notice a woman in a soaking wet wedding dress barge in. Monica notices that the woman in the wedding dress is her old high school friend, Rachel Green. Rachel comes into the coffee shop because she had just run away from her wedding! We then learn that Rachel is a very spoiled girl. She lives off her daddy's credit card and has never had a job in her life.

After fleeing the wedding, her father decides to cut her off financially, so Rachel announces that she will be living with Monica. A short while after, Rachel obtains a job at the Central Perk as a waitress. Later on, in season three, she quits her job as a waitress to pursue her dream of working in the fashion industry. She starts off with working for Fortunata Fashions and works her way up from there including working for Bloomingdales and Ralph Lauren. She continues moving up even more with promotions within the company. Rachel taught me, as a college student, that growing up at a young age may be hard, but it is worth it in the end when you finally get the job of your dreams and are content with where you are in life. Thank you, Rachel, for pushing my confidence higher because being a college student has been a bit of a struggle, but I know it will be well worth it in the end.

4. Joey Tribbiani: Never give up on your dreams.

"Hey, how you doin'?" Joey Tribbiani is the good looking and simple minded friend of the group. What he mostly cares about is pizza, girls, beer, family, friends and the New York Knicks. But one thing he is truly dedicated to and has a passion for is his acting career. Regardless of not being very good at it, he still continues with his career hoping it will go somewhere. His most memorable role was a neurosurgeon, Dr. Drake Ramoray, on a popular soap opera, Days of our Lives, until the producers kill him off a few days later. Later on, they bring him back in a bizarre plot twist, resurrecting him into Drake Ramoray's twin, Skylar. Even though his acting career was a success but a humiliating failure at the same time, I admire Joey for never giving up on his passion and what he loved doing. Thank you, Joey, for teaching me to reach for the stars and never give up in the face of adversity.

5. Chandler Bing: Always look for the good in every situation.

Growing up, Chandler had a rather dysfunctional family. His father left the family and turned into a woman, eventually becoming a drag queen in Las Vegas, and his mother works as a romance novelist. One thing everyone knows about Chandler is that he uses humor to get out of uncomfortable situations and he really relies on it. He makes numerous jokes throughout the series, some at appropriate times, but mostly inappropriate times. Humor is his ultimate defense mechanism. I admire Chandler for using his jokes in uncomfortable settings because it shows he finds the good in every situation. It may not be going in anyone's favor, but you can always rely on him to crack a joke and lighten the mood, and it is appreciated by the group...sometimes. Thank you, Chandler, for teaching me not to focus on the negativity in my life and finding the good in the bad.

6. Last but not least, Phoebe Buffay: Don't worry about what others think of you.

It is human nature not to be liked or accepted, however this often leads to people worrying too much about what others are thinking about them. This kind of excessive worrying can have a negative effect on your life. It interferes with the ability for you to feel at ease with yourself and around others. One thing I admire about Phoebe Buffay is that she is so confident in her own skin. She knows who she is and she isn’t going to change based on what other people might think of her. Phoebe feels no embarrassment, so she just goes on with life being herself, unafraid and unashamed. She is not afraid to do or say anything, not even to perform her silly songs in Central Perk or even go out on a date which is out of her comfort zone. I’ll never forget when she had to bring a translator out on a date with her because her boyfriend was an Eastern European diplomat. She is super self-assured and I admire her for that. To me, her confidence is enviable. Thank you, Phoebe Buffay, you taught me that I should not care what others think and let it prevent me from living my life to the fullest potential.

If you read this article and have never watched "Friends" before, I highly suggest watching it fully. As you can see, it has taught me many worthwhile life lessons innocently through each character, and I truly enjoyed finally watching this series to its potential. Thanks to each character, I will now be a better older sibling, more of a neat freak, be at ease now that I am growing up, never give up on my dreams, find the good in every situation and be comfortable in my own skin, no matter what.