Since January 1, 2015, when most of us learned "Friends" was officially on Netflix, we burrowed ourselves in our rooms watching season after season. Our actual friends may have thought we were being antisocial, but we thought we were being the opposite as we literally felt like we were apart of the characters day to day lives. Each episode felt like we were literally at the coffee shop chatting with Ross, Monica, Rachel, Chandler, Joey, and Phoebe. I know I may sound pathetic for admitting that, but I know secretly you're all there with me. "Friends" is one of the most real shows we've ever watched and we can't get enough of it. And while we love its funny and corky charm, we have to admit "Friends" has actually taught us a lot of real life lessons that we still hold them accountable to today.
First off, the individual characters themselves have taught us quite a bit about life.
Phoebe taught us to be ourselves.
Because of Phoebe, I can honestly say I truly do not care what anyone else thinks of me. Phoebe taught me that you should never succumb to society's standards, and that being unique is something to be proud of.
Joey taught us that sensitivity is okay.
Because of Joey, I don't look down upon myself when I may cry over something somewhat minimal. I realize that everyone feels things in different ways and that being sensitive is okay.
Chandler taught us that laughing at ourselves is a good thing.
Because of Chandler, I now take my embarrassing moments as something to laugh at. Rather then dwelling on them, I turn it into some sort of comical relief. Life is too short to take everything far too seriously.
Rachel taught us how to be independent.
Because of Rachel, I know I have the potential to stand on my own. I know that I shouldn't rely on a relationship or the constant support from my peers or my parents to get me through anything. I know that at the end of the day, I can handle being the person who gets me to where I want to be in life.
Ross taught us compassion.
Because of Ross, my heart is big. I care for a lot of people, whether it's my friends or my family, and I will always be willing to express love to my significant other.
Monica taught us that it's okay to control certain aspects of our lives.
Because of Monica, I don't blame myself for wanting somethings in my life to be controlled. I don't look at a clean home and the desire to be organized as OCD, but rather as the desire to keep things running smoothly.
We've also learned some life lessons from all of the characters combined.
They all taught us to never give up on love.
Because of "Friends," I know that I will never cut myself off from love completely. Watching the series, no matter how many times the characters wanted to give up on love, how many times they got heart broken, dumped, or utterly confused, none of them ever gave up on love. Throughout the series, each character shows the significance of love to them in their own way. Monica and Chandler taught us that love is everlasting. Rachel and Ross taught us that love can succumb many obstacles and is worth waiting for. Phoebe and Joey taught us that love can be both fun and silly.
They all taught us the value of friendship.
Because of "Friends," I know that good friendship should actually feel like good family. I know that friends who treat you right and are there for you, deserve a lot more than just the label of "friends." Watching the show, I always got to see what each character was willing to do for another and it was incredible. I learned how to be a good friend myself, and also how to know who is a good friend to me.
They taught us that in the end honestly is everything.
Because of "Friends," I know that telling a lie will only get you into that much more trouble. I know that honesty is the best policy, and that being honest is a big part of what makes us good individuals, even if we do have to be a little blunt sometimes. Though the characters have instances were they are tempted to lie or do get themselves involved in schemes, they always realize in the end that they went the wrong way about things, and it always comes back to this concept of honesty is everything (one that Phoebe certainly values).
They taught us that not everything in life can be perfect.
Because of "Friends," I know that life can never be everything we want it to be. I know that life will hand us some curve balls, but we have to gradually learn how to overcome them. Over the course of the series, every character is met with something extremely difficult in their lives, whether it deals with the loss of someone, a broken heart, career issues, trouble with finding oneself, etc. The show reveals to us that these difficult things do happen, but it shouldn't get us down forever. While life can't always be perfect, with a few good friends you can certainly get by.
So while most of us will probably continue to binge watch "Friends," (possibly forever), at least we can say that there's more to the show than just the constant giggles we let out every few minutes. "Friends" has value and it has taught us so much about life, and because of that, it has taught us about ourselves.
