For every kid in college, there is a Netflix account waiting for homework to be finished, socializing to be done, and football games to be watched to finally cushion your inner introvert and wind down after a long difficult week of life. There are numerous shows that have been my backbone throughout college, a few of them being The Office (Jim and Pam for life), That 70's Show (because who doesn't love a good old fashioned seventies-themed sitcom?), Stranger Things (JUSTICE FOR BARB, and also, I need Eleven's autograph), and last, but definitely not least, New Girl. For those of you who have not seen any of these shows, I urge you to please stop reading this article and watch them now.
Although all of these shows are absolutely fantastic, New Girl has recently recaptured my heart with it's release of Season 5 to Netflix, which is currently playing in the background as I write this. This show perfectly captures exactly what it is like to be an adult without actually knowing how to adult, which I think is something all of us in our twenties can relate to. So here is 10 reasons why New Girl is the key to your 20-something year old life.
1. Nick Miller
I, shamelessly, have a GIGANTIC crush on Nick Miller and believe me, if you watch this show, you will too. Boy, girl, unidentified, YOU WILL INEVITABLY HAVE SOME SORT OF CRUSH ON NICK MILLER. Don't believe me? Watch it then we'll talk. Nick is the spirit animal of every college student. He drinks, on average, five beers a day, writes zombie novels (horrible zombie novels, might I add), and he's completely self-destructive, which is every girl's dream, right? In reality, Nick is everything we don't like in a guy. He is lazy, grumpy and has no plan for his life whatsoever, and best of all, he keeps his money in a sandwich bag. But this is exactly what makes him so relatable to all of us college kids. Nick is an old, unorganized man trapped in a 30 year old body, and for some odd reason, that is why we love him. Nick may be a mess, but as his character develops throughout the show, he teaches us that getting your life together really isn't as hard as it seems.
2. Jess and her ever failing relationships.
Jessica Day is one of the most painfully relatable characters out there. In our twenties, we feel the pressure of meeting the love of your life, getting married, and settling down because that's what a lot of our friends are doing. Every time I log onto Facebook, I see another engagement, or a pregnancy announcement and as a twenty-year-old, this is TERRIFYING because I think to myself "there is no way that I am old enough or mentally stable enough for that to be me." Jess experiences heartbreak or a breakup at least twice a season and even though she is constantly knocked down, she always stands back up and makes herself and everyone around her as happy as she can. This aspect of New Girl is the perfect example of why it's okay not to rush into settling down when you're young. Focus on your career, your friends, and just focus on living the life you have. It's okay, Jess. Sometimes we all just want to listen to Taylor Swift alone, too.
3. True American
True American is a drinking game entirely made up on the show and it honestly sounds like a blast. The floor is molten lava, the game involves historical American quotes and people, and makes absolutely no sense. (If you're interested, here are the rules http://www.trueamericanrules.com.) True American perfectly combines being a kid with an adult, and as Jess puts it, it's basically half drinking game, half life-sized Candyland. You cannot deny that this sounds like the best time of your semi-adult life.
4. It doesn't shame unemployment.
Finding a job after college honestly sounds like the scariest task that I will ever have to endure in my entire life. What if I hate my job? What if I can't find one within three months of graduating? Oh, the horror of unemployment. Jess, Winston, Cece, Schmidt, and Nick all experience unemployment at some point on the show and the beauty of it is, none of them talk down on the other for not having a job. The best thing about New Girl is how everyone always has everyone else's back, even when the times get tough. Being unemployed isn't the worst thing in the world. Scary? Yes absolutely, but things get better, new jobs come along, and unemployment is only permanent if you believe it is.
5. Winston and Ferguson.
Winston and his cat, Ferguson (whom he stole from his ex girlfriend), have an incredible bond with each other. Their connection is so relatable because who in college doesn't love their dog/cat/pet as if it were their very own child? My dog is my best friend, no doubt, and honestly Winston is probably one of my favorite characters on the show because of this. He is openly obsessed with his cat, and so am I.
6. They embrace the fact that yes, life can suck sometimes, and that's okay.
Yeah, we all know it. Life can really suck. You lose friends, you fall out of relationships, you get fired from a job, you fail a test. Big deal. That's life, and we just have to learn to move on. New Girl shows us that there are actual bad times in life, but there is never a time where you can't pick yourself up. Throughout the show, we experience breakups, the deaths of parents, losing jobs, and throughout everything, they all still come together and find a way to make things better. Because life sucks! And then it gets better, and then it sucks again. So embrace the suck and move on! If they can do it, so can you.
7. Schmidt and Cece
TRUE LOVE IS POSSIBLE PEOPLE. SCHMIDT AND CECE ARE LIVING PROOF. From the start of the show, Schmidt has an undying crush on Cece and though she entertains the thought a few times, Schmidt is constantly being let down by her rejection of him. But, true love always wins in the end and (spoiler alert!!!!!!) they finally get married in Season 5 and it was the happiest episode ever. This just goes to show that if you really truly love someone, they will always come back to you, no matter what. And that is something that everyone in their twenties needs to believe in.
8. They teach us that when it's finally time to leave home once and for all, your friends become your family.
The most beautiful thing about New Girl is their constant support and love for one another. No matter the heartbreak, the lost jobs, or the family issues, all of them are always there for each other and they never let the other down. When you leave home for college, or even after college, your friends become your lifeline because you mom and dad can't be there for you anymore. Your friends become your family, and on this show, they exemplify this perfectly. They all bring something unique and special to the table that somehow all blends together perfectly into a nice little weird family.
And that is what makes New Girl the perfect show for every 20-something year old kid just trying to navigate their way through college, heartbreak, jobs, and any other hardball life decides to throw your way. If they can do life, so can we!
