7 Lessons Lena Dunham’s ‘Girls’ Taught Us | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Entertainment

7 Lessons Lena Dunham’s ‘Girls’ Taught Us

No matter how F’d up life gets, you’ll always have your crew to fall back on

90
7 Lessons Lena Dunham’s ‘Girls’ Taught Us
ExiledOnline

How is this the last season? This show is the perfect amount of profanity mixed with real life mixed with humor and so many other things. A series of social media posts by the cast relating to the nostalgia they are experiencing as they start shooting their last season got me thinking. Girls not only offered an entertaining viewing experience, but it also left us with a few life lessons: *WARNING* Spoilers ahead (but also which episodes to find each lesson)

1. Be selfish at times

This is the most evident through Marni's and Hannah’s characters. As the seasons went on it was almost like Hannah and Marni became progressively more self-absorbed. But hey, that’s ok. Marni needed to feel confident in her life direction after joining that (embarrassingly bad) band with her on-screen husband, Desi. Selfishness is so obliviously engrained in Hannah’s persona that it is just part of her character's personality, but she’s loving herself, and we love her for that.

Best episode for this lesson: Season 1 Episode 9 – Leave Me Alone // Season 3 Episode 5 - Only Child

2. Don’t be afraid to not be sure of your “next step” or future

I’m not sure if this is more evident by Shoshanna flying to Japan for a job that she ended up hating or by Hannah’s life switch from being a writer with writer’s block to an elementary school teacher. Either way, these characters shared journeys with us that we could all relate to. None of them were sure of their paths at some point in the show, but came out knowing more about themselves in the end.

Best episode for this lesson: Season 5 Episode 8 – Homeward Bound

3. Be spontaneous

Take Marni’s ‘The Panic In Central Park’ episode for example. She happened to be walking through a different part of NYC than usual and ran into an ex of hers, whom we had met in prior seasons. The whole episode is spent following them around NYC everywhere from stores to galas until they finally make it to a gondola in Central Park. One of the many examples of spontaneity that ‘Girls’ has to offer.

Best episode for this lesson: Season 5 Episode 6 – The Panic In Central Park

4. Experiment…A lot.

For all my freaks that just don’t care, this one’s for you. Whether it be with your sexuality or with your job, this show makes it clear that you should try new things. Most episodes had a surprising or odd moment, and when reflecting on these scenes, I noticed that most of these moments were when the characters were experimenting or trying something out of their comfort zone.

Best episode for this lesson: Season 5 Episode 5 – Queen For Two Days

5. Tell your friends like it is

Hannah was never afraid to lay it on you when necessary. Pal/ex Jessa and Adam also put this motto into action. None of these characters took BS from anyone, including peers or those superior to them in work life. It seemed as though Hannah and Marni were the ones who most often needed reality checks, but their friends worked to help them see another perspective. This wasn't always successful for characters like Marni, who will forever be enveloped in her own narcissism (although this may change in season 6), but friends don’t give up on friends.

Best episode for this lesson: Season 2 Episode 3 – Bad Friend

6. Topless is always an option (or bottomless?)

You could legitimately close your eyes and point in the dark at an episode and there would be a topless scene waiting for you. I would go as far as to say that you’re looking at beyond a 50/50 chance of it happening; it’s more like 70/30. I think this was more in effort to show that these characters were comfortable with themselves and the way they look, and in part because it is a show on HBO. Anyhow, pretty much every character has had a revealing moment on the show, but Hannah takes the cake for the freeing the nipple award.

Best episode for this lesson: Season 5 Episode 7 – Hello Kitty

7. No matter how F’d up life gets, you’ll always have your crew to fall back on

Take Hannah’s dad coming out as gay in the latest season. He is somewhere in the middle of his life coming to this realization, thus throwing his whole family for a loop. This is something that Hannah and her mother have to figure out how to deal with as they move forward. Jessa, Marni, and Shoshanna were always there to listen to Hannah’s rants about her dad or anything else. They may not have loved it, but they were there. Shoshanna, on the other hand, will always have her past love, Ray to lean on whenever something goes awry.

Best episode for this lesson: Season 5 Episode 9 – Love Stories // Season 5 Episode 10 – Home Birth

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

444
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

446943
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

20210
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Moana's Top 10 Life Tips

"Moana" is filled with life lessons that involve far more than finding true love as many other Disney movies do.

43578
Animated image of a woman with long dark hair and tattoos
StableDiffusion

1. It's easy to be fooled by shiny things.

Digital image of shiny gemstones in cased in gold. shiny things StableDiffusion

Tamatoa created a liar filled with shiny things simply for the purpose of tricking fish to enter and become his food. He too experiences a lesson in how easy it is to be tricked by shiny things when Moana distracts him by covering herself in glowing algae so Maui can grab his hook.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments