This summer, I started watching "Gossip Girl," and boy oh boy was it a journey.

If there’s one thing that can be said about the show, it’s that it is completely and utterly absurd. In no way, shape, or form is it realistic—unreasonably attractive adults playing teenagers, engaging in revenge plots and drama so ludicrous it makes my skin crawl. "Gossip Girl" is a show of materialistic, white-washed, first-world problems that gives no educational or meaningful addition to life.

Now, all that being said, I am obsessed with this show. And so are millions of other viewers, apparently.

Something about "Gossip Girl: is just so addictive—no matter how many times I tell myself that it's ridiculous and a waste of time, I can’t stop watching it.

While the majority of "Gossip Girl" is honestly garbage (harsh words, but come on—there is literally no substance to any of the episodes), I’ve found that the more I watch this show, the more and more I come to appreciate the characters and the weirdly honest, immaturely mature way they interact with each other—particularly in their romantic lives.

There’s no doubt that the romance seen in "Gossip Girl" is unrealistic and convoluted. Everyone dates everyone, and there are so many scandals and affairs I can’t keep track. But when you take each individual romantic fling at face value and examine the specific details of them, there is actually a lot to be admired, and perhaps even some things to be learned.

Let me start by highlighting what I believe is an important issue for today's generation: The hook-up culture (dun dun dun!). There are pages and pages and pages on Google with articles claiming that dating is extinct, the hook-up culture is on the rise, why the hook-up culture is a problem, why the hook-up culture isn’t a problem, etc., etc., etc. No matter what you believe, there is certainly there is something to be said about the loss of traditional “dating” as a method of courtship. There’s no denying that for the most part, dates have gone from the stereotypical dinner and a stroll in the park to “Netflix and chill”—“dating,” in today’s sense, has taken on a very casual form.

This is not necessarily a bad thing—in fact, I think it's awesome that sex has become normalized instead of taboo and people feel they can explore their sexuality as they please. There is often a huge stigma around having multiple partners over time and it’s wonderful that society is shying away from the idea of modesty and purity to that of sexual freedom and empowerment. There is no one right way to pursue romantic relations with someone, after all. However, in my own personal experiences and observations, I’ve found that the hook-up culture has brought with it it's own unique set of problems.

One could say the number one rule of the hooking up is “don’t get too attached!” because heaven forbid you become emotionally invested in someone that is supposed to give you one thing and one thing only—sexual pleasure. But sex is an intimate act and I’ve found more often than not, people seem to become attached in spite of themselves. Hooking up repeatedly typically leads to someone getting hurt because they broke the golden rule and their affection was not reciprocated.

However, no one is able to address this issue, because the hook-up culture perpetuates this idea that both parties have to appear “chill” and uninterested in one another. No one wants to appear too invested in their partner, lest they be labeled as “desperate” or “clingy” and “too emotional.” So, people build up barriers, and these barriers keep out any possible attempt of real communication. No longer will people open up to each other and let themselves be vulnerable—our generation is so afraid of commitment, we choose to keep to ourselves instead of being honest with what we want and/or need.

The evolution of smartphones, texting, and social media has strengthened the abysmal lack of communication, as well. Ridiculous rules are spread like wildfire thanks to online Cosmo articles and the like: Calling someone you like is almost certainly out of the question; if you want to meet up, you have to text them, and if they reply, you have to wait a certain amount of time before you can respond; DON’T use an emoji or an exclamation point because you’ll come off way too strong! After all, you don’t want to seem “too into to it,” right? Vulnerability is an absolute no-no.

"Gossip Girl" addresses all these issues in a unique way. There are certainly copious amounts of hooking up and casual sex throughout the show, and not once does the show imply that traditional dating is better than hooking up. However, the characters are refreshingly good at communicating with each other. They are upfront about their intentions, and if they have an issue with something their partner does—be it hook-up buddy or more—they go ahead and say so. No passive aggressive texts, no keeping everything bundled up inside—they express their emotions to each other in a very vulnerable way.

The GG characters aren’t afraid of “coming off too strongly.” They aren’t afraid they’ll scare their partner off by telling them how they feel. They are open and honest about their feelings and their needs, and it’s a breath of fresh air to see. What strikes me is how often they pick up the phone and call each other because they couldn’t care less about how “clingy” that makes them look. Serena, Chuck, Dan, Blair, Nate, and the rest never feel they have to censor themselves, and they most definitely feel comfortable having the dreaded “DTR”—the talk where they define the relationship and what it means to both parties.

I think we can all take something away from the way "Gossip Girl" characters handle their romantic lives. Compared to today’s generation, where dating culture has turned into hookups and the general attitude towards one’s partner is uninterested and noncommittal, it’s refreshing to see a world in which being vulnerable and honest to one another-- even if it just involves hooking up-- isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Let's all try to be a little more like Serena and Blair and tell people how we feel—no fear, no censorship—just pure, raw honesty.