I was exposed to Sex and the City at an extremely young age by pretending to fall asleep on the couch while my mom would watch it late at night. To her defense, she was entirely unaware of my schemes where I would "accidentally" doze off. As I lay there effectively motionless, Carrie Bradshaw’s wise narrations filled my ears, telling me stories of jobs, love, and, most importantly, friendship. I have seen every episode of Sex and the City many times, and I have found that each woman of the show has taught me some valuable lessons to take with me through college and eventually adulthood. Together, they have taught me that love and friendship go hand in hand, redefining the meaning of family and sisterhood.
Samantha
As the most "outgoing" of the four, Samantha has taught me the importance of owning who you are through and through, and being honest even when it hurts. Without question, Samantha makes her own decisive and intentional choices and she prides herself on being an independent woman. Samantha reminds us that, while it is important to be independent, it is also important to lean on those around you, especially your best friends.
Charlotte
Charlotte is a dreamer who reminds us that, while happiness doesn't always turn out to be perfect, life can be incredibly satisfying. Though you might not end up with the perfect guy, life has a funny way of working out in your favor despite going against your previous expectations. Charlotte's trials and tribulations with love and having children teach us to keep dreaming and striving for success. Perseverance and a positive attitude is key to a fulfilling life, and no one should settle for anything that doesn't bring them honest and true happiness.
Miranda
The pessimist. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. While Miranda is the most intellectual of the four women, she is definitely not the most emotionally stable—which reminds us that it’s important to have a balance of both. It is certainly important to excel in your career, but it is also important to take time to be with those who matter most. Her strong-willed nature teaches us that sometimes you have to be vulnerable to find true happiness. Opening your heart to someone is scary, but the potential rewards are totally worth it.
Carrie
The Great Carrie Bradshaw teaches us that it is okay to be disorganized, imperfect, and unhappy (as long as you have on a great pair of Manolo Blahniks). Life has its ups and downs, and will take you on a whirlwind. The only way to enjoy the ride is to be open minded and ready for anything that comes your way. Whether it is in your career, your love life, or simply your day-to-day mental stability, it is completely normal that reality isn’t perfect so long as you love yourself along the way.
I see qualities of these four women in my best friends—the girls who have been there with me through thick and thin. The laughter and the tears are just pieces that make up the puzzle of our friendship. Some of these girls I've known for 10 years, and others less than five or hardly even one. But they've impacted my life in ways that I could have never imagined once I went off to college. Don't take your friends for granted, even when they drive you crazy, because it isn't worth losing the strength and love that they've instilled in you for so long.
