The vacation started out like any normal Florida family vacation: a trip to Disney World, my brothers pushing me in the hotel pool, and one too many beach days ruined by the rain. My parents had to quickly come up with a back-up plan for the now drenched days. Unfamiliar with the Floridan channels, the remote guided us to the finale of the first season of "The Bachelor." My mom and I immediately became addicted. “Who will Bachelor Alex choose? Will it be Trista or Amanda, find out when the most dramatic show on television returns,” I can still hear host Chris Harrison’s words echoing in my head. I was five.

Following season one, my mom and I anxiously awaited for the next season to begin. I loved watching 20-something year old adults fight back tears and get in cat-fights because the charming and handsome supposed man of their dreams slept with other contestants. Season after season, we predicted who would win, judged the competitors, and most importantly, bonded over a common love for reality entertainment. The Florida vacation sparked a tradition that continued in my life until the very month I left for college. Was it the traditional way for a mother and daughter to bond? Absolutely not. Did it provide as a platform for my mom to teach me valuable lessons relating to sex and how to behave in the world? Most definitely.

Many would argue that this show is not exactly an accurate representation of society today.

This show exudes shameless sexism and racism. Why are we so okay watching a television show that claims to be reality, but in reality, could not be farther from the truth?

Since the series premiere in 2002, "The Bachelor" franchise has attracted loyal fans across the country and internationally. There have been 19 seasons of "The Bachelor,"not including the several spin-off series, such as the "The Bachelor." In 2013, according to The New York Times, "The Bachelor" had a total of 8.8 million viewers, which is almost four times more than the average amount of viewers for shows on the same network. America is addicted -- specifically, women.

Across the country, women tune in every Monday to watch complete strangers compete to find love. But why are we so obsessed? Watching the show is an experience. The desperate need for these contestants to find love strikes a chord for many of the women in the audience who feel they need a man to fulfill them.

Now, as a 5-year-old, I did not watch because I was disgusted by the social injustice present in this show or because I was frantically searching for a significant other so I could relate to the women.

I watched because it was fun to spend time with my mom. It was purely an entertaining pastime and most of the content went over my head. As I got older, I slowly started to realize what the show was really about. All of the contestants wanted one thing; to find their prince in a princeless world. With my mom by my side, I have watched girls sleep with a man simply to advance to the next round. I have watched girls throw other girls under the bus, lie, manipulate, cry more than any person should ever cry over a stranger, and ultimately almost always end up heartbroken.

I have watched the strongest and smartest participants walk away from the manipulated fairytale. So what has all this taught me?

From watching "The Bachelor," I have learned valuable lessons more important than anything I could learn in a class. My mom often reminded me that love cannot be manufactured. She instilled in me that sex is not a weapon that should be used in war because love is not a competition; the girl who treats it like a battle never wins. She raised me to be strong and independent; to not need the man these women so desperately yearned for. From watching "The Bachelor,"I know that I do not want to be the girl who has to compromise my beliefs and form to some unrealistic standard of a women for a “prince.” While I have always wanted a fairytale romance, this is not how I want to be swept off my feet and live happily ever after. So thank you, Mom, for allowing me to watch the person I never want to be, every week, for 15 years and thank you for teaching me about love through “reality” television. I cannot think of a better textbook to study from.