The Office is a show that connotes the word comedy. What people do not usually realize is underneath all the laughs and giggles is great truth. These are the some of the hidden life lessons The Office has taught me that everyone should know.
1. You don’t always have to have everything figured out.
“Sometimes I’ll start a sentence and I don’t even know where it’s going. I just hope I find it along the way.” - Michael Scott
2. Be kind to everyone. Be joyful. Be loving.
“I want people to be afraid of how much they love me.” - Michael Scott
Be nice to everyone. Be that ray of sunshine that people want to see on a rainy day. Smile and be kind. Whether it is a little or big act of kindness, it will take you far.
3. Put effort and hard work into everything you do.
“I am running away from my responsibilities and it feels good.” - Michael Scott
As a freshman in college, juggling school, new friends, and clubs has been difficult. Running away from responsibilities sometimes seems to be the best option. If “The Office” has taught me anything, it is that running away is not the answer. Work hard for everything you achieve. That degree in four years will be worth the sleep deprivation, long study hours, and stress. Not giving up until you have completed a task is not only rewarding for the money or honor or fame, but the feeling of self achievement.
4. Accept people for who they are. Everyone has flaws.
“I have flaws. What are they? I sing in the shower. Sometimes I spend too much time volunteering. Occasionally I’ll hit somebody with my car.” - Michael Scott
Michael Scott taught me that everyone has flaws. Nobody is perfect. You do not have to always agree with everyone or like everyone but be open to new ideas and beliefs.
5. Appreciate every moment.
“Nostalgia is truly one of the great human weaknesses...second only to the neck.” -Dwight Schrute 
I remember first day of freshman year. I also remember first day of college, only a few short months ago. There is exactly four years between the two, right? Wrong. Dead wrong. There is a blink. One second you are an immature 14-year-old, the next, a scared 18-year-old moving into a dorm. Appreciate all the seconds, minutes, and moments, you get because it goes by fast. Step back, pause and appreciate what is going on. Make the most of the precious seconds and surround yourself with good company.
6. Be a good sport when you win, and those times when you lose.
“Andy Bernard does not lose contests. He wins them... Or he quits them because they are unfair." - Andy Bernard
Put a smile on that face, refer to life lesson number two, and be a good sport. Even if you try your hardest, you will not win everything.
7. A little patience goes a long way.
"Four years ago, I was just a guy who had a crush on a girl who had a boyfriend. And I had to do the hardest thing that I've ever had to do which was just to wait..." - Jim Halpert
There are a plethora of reasons why I love The Office. To name a few, the shows quick wit, romance, and its famous character Dwight Schrute. However, The Office is much more than a show, it is a window into our own lives. It reflects the life events of an ordinary eight-to-five worker. The Office teaches us how to handle situations with patience, like Jim Halpert. It teaches us to imagine like Michael Scott. Last, but certainly not least, Dwight teaches us the true order of the important elements in life: bears, beets, and Battlestar Galactica.
