For 10 years now, Dr. Meredith Grey has been sweeping the nation with killer advice, life lessons, and heart-wrenching moments that make us evaluate our own lives. We have watched Meredith and her friends survive so much, and her dramatic life proves we can make it through another day.
In my most recent binge-watching excursion of "Grey's Anatomy," I realized that Meredith’s life is a lot like college. She's disoriented, lovestruck, trying to figure out who she is, and spends a fair amount of time with a bottle of tequila. Here are 10 times "Grey’s Anatomy" was actually about college, not a hospital.
1. “I don’t know, I only have one shoe.” -Christina Yang
We’ve all had that morning. You wake up to what you believe is the sound of a drum, but really it’s just the pounding in your skull. Everything is a little hazy, and you want nothing more than some Advil, Gatorade, and a pile of french fries. The more fortunate individuals of your friend group bombard you with stories of the ridiculous crap you pulled last night. But you could care less because you have misplaced something of importance, whether it be your phone, your student ID, or even a shoe.
2. “More tequila. More love. More anything. More is better.” -Meredith Grey
Oh Mere, you speak to me on such a spiritual level. More friends, more canceled classes, more parties, more Chipotle…. more is most definitely better in every sense.
3. “Don’t let what he wants eclipse what you need. He is very dreamy, but he is not the sun. You are.” -Christina Yang
College is the first time in your life when you have the opportunity to become completely engulfed in another person. When you’re in high school, your parents are there watching over your shoulder and making sure you have a balanced life. Without their supervision and the opportunity of a brand new relationship, it is easy to loose yourself in someone else. Don’t let your significant other out shine you. Your needs are just as important as theirs are.
4.“Bite me.”- Amelia Shepard
No matter where you go in life, there will always be people whose only goal seems to be to drag you down. Don’t let them succeed. When that stuck-up sorority girl says something nasty about your clothes or the dumb football player hits on you in the slimiest way possible, don’t be afraid to tell them to bug off. Rid your life of toxic people; there is no space for them.
5.“Being aware of your crap, and actually overcoming your crap are two very different things.” -Christina Yang
Whether or not you choose to believe it, every person on this planet comes with baggage. Her father was an alcoholic, his father is in prison, they broke up because of distance and neither of them know how to love again. We all have crap. It’s part of life. On campus don’t just be aware of the fact that you have a back story, try to accept it so that you can enjoy these four years to their fullest.
6. “I think it’s important to take the time to tell the people you love how much you love them while they can hear you.” -Meredith Grey
One of my best friends from school told me once that her favorite part about me is how every time I walk away, I say I love you. You’d be surprised how much those three little words can do to a person's day. People are very good at wearing an invisible mask to hide what they are really feeling. Showing someone a smile or telling them that you love them can change their mood entirely. Be kind, and spread love. College is a hard time for all of us, we need to stick together and lift each other up while we have the chance.
7.“Shut up. Dance it out.” -Christina Yang
There is never an inopportune time for a 30-second dance party. College is a stressful time. One day you're in the comfort of your own home with your friends you've known since preschool, and then all of a sudden you're put in a brand new environment all by yourself and have to try and figure out the rest of your life. That sucks. A lot. But as Mere and Christina have taught us, there is no scenario dramatic enough that dancing it out can’t at least temporarily fix.
In high school you had a much larger option for alone time. Once you’re in college, you are consistently surrounded by your peers, and it is much more difficult to hide your emotions. Not everyone can always be in a bright and bubbly mood. People will have their off-days, and don’t judge them for that because you sure as hell have them too. Be happy when you can, and if you need to curl up and cry while watching Titanic one day, go ahead and sob your heart out. Showing emotion is healthy and there is no reason to hide it.
We hear it all the time: you will meet the people whom you will associate with for the rest of your life in college. Meredith and Christina have the all time best friendship, and it is most definitely something we should all aim for. Spread yourself out, try things you’ve never thought you would try, and meet the person that would drive your get away car. They are out their looking for you too.
10. “The point is, it doesn't matter what the rest of us think. At the end of the day, all that matters is what you think.” -Alex Karev
College is a fresh start. Very few people know who you were in high school. This is the time to reinvent yourself and become the person you really want to be. Don’t let anyone make you second guess that.
