" Gilmore Girls" is a TV series that was introduced to us during our younger years, and has recently re-entered many of our lives thanks to the beauty of Netflix. Each fast talking character from the show is relatable in their own unique way, and many lifelong lessons can be remembered from the series even long after your binge re-watching is over.
1. When you know what you want, go for it--And don't do anything halfway.
Rory knew that journalism was her calling from a young age. To achieve this goal, she didn't just get through high school and then go on to any college to get a degree. She worked hard to graduate as her high school's valedictorian, and was then accepted to Harvard, Princeton, and Yale. Once at Yale, Rory became editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, the Yale Daily News, and she then landed an internship straight out of college as a reporter for Obama's presidential campaign. Rory's many accomplishments demonstrate to us that success doesn't happen based on luck; it takes hard work, dedication, and determination to get where you truly want to be.
2. You're going to make mistakes, but life will keep moving.
After sleeping with Dean while he was married, Rory was filled with guilt and shame. She was equally as mortified when she was arrested for boat theft with Logan. Despite the backlash she faced because of her indiscretions, the talk eventually died down and life in Stars Hollow moved on. Just like us, each character has their flaws, and they all have times where they demonstrate incredibly poor judgement. As the show proves, with every mistake we make, time still passes, and we're left with no choice but to grow from our mistakes and move on.
3. Sometimes you just need a really big junk food binge.
You could be going through a breakup, having an exhausting week at work, or you might just be having a massive craving for some Chinese food. Rory and Lorelai show us that there are an infinite number of occasions which call for sharing a much larger than necessary order of takeout food with your best friend. So stalk up on the Ben & Jerry's and order a pizza, you only live once.
4. If something doesn't feel right, go with your gut.
Lorelai abruptly ended her engagement to Max the day before their wedding, leaving town the weekend her wedding was planned for and taking some time for herself and Rory. Though this was a tough decision to make at the time, if Lorelai had gone through with the wedding she may have never fallen in love with Luke, and many other important parts of her life would not have worked out in the ways they did. Rory turning down Logan's proposal at the end of the final season is just another example of how "Gilmore Girls" taught us to follow our hearts, even when we might not be able to verbalize the reason behind it, because if something doesn't feel right, it's not meant to be.
5. Don't let work take precedence over what makes you happy.
Paris was barely even a real human on the show until she faced something she saw as a monumental failure. She was rejected from Harvard, the school she had been working towards attending her entire life. It was only when she was forced to change her dream and attend her second choice school that she finally made true friendships, met a boy who liked her for who she is, and allowed herself to let loose and enjoy life (well, as much as Paris Gellar could). Paris taught us not only the importance of prioritizing doing things that make us happy, but also how we often can learn even more from our failures than from our successes.
6. It's actually okay to mix business with pleasure. Sometimes it leads to genius.
Lorelai and Sookie pretty much define the dream team. They not only went from being colleagues to co-owning an inn with each other, but they show us some serious friendship goals, too. Sookie plans Lorelai's bachelorette party, while Lorelai helps keep Sookie's imagination in check when wedding planning gets to her head. Sookie cried tears of joy at Lorelai's side during Rory's graduation, and Lorelai was a constant presence at Sookie's house after the birth of her children even though her midwife was an intimidating presence, to say the least. In perfectly balancing each other out and working so flawlessly together as best friends, it was only natural for this dynamic duo to have a crazy successful business together, too.
7. Don't over look the small things that can bring you big happiness in life.
Nothing embodies pure happiness more than the combination of Lorelai and snow. She goes as far as saying she can smell it coming in the air, and her childlike joy at the first inkling of a snowflake is a reminder to us all to take time to enjoy the little things, for they may carry great joy. Whether it's the smell of clean sheets at the end of the day or getting sloppy kisses from a puppy in the park that make your smile a little brighter, "Gilmore Girls" reminds us to never lose sight of these small pleasures.
The conversation about how watching "Gilmore Girls" has shaped our outlook on life is one that could go on forever. When you realize how much guidance it contains for our everyday lives, it's clear why "Gilmore Girls" is more than just a show. Each character remains so near and dear to our hearts because in following their lives, we've learned important lessons about our own.
