A good TV show is like comfort food. Anytime I am feeling defeated by the world, I cuddle up and revisit with old friends for a few episodes. “The Vampire Diaries” has been that kind of show for me for the past eight years. Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson have created compelling (no pun intended) characters who, although they are supernatural, are relatable. Over the seasons, I have taken away a few life lessons. (Warning for those who have not caught up on Netflix: spoilers below.)
1. The importance of friendship
Bonnie, Caroline and Elena have risked so much for their respective friendships. Bonnie lost her grandmother, and her mother was turned into a vampire in the best interest of saving Elena (and let's not forget the time Bonnie died to save Jeremy for Elena). Elena is currently sleeping in a coffin, so Bonnie can live out the rest of her life, and Caroline is always there for the both of them. True friends are loyal friends.
2. How to cope with death
Death is a part of life, and no one knows that better than Elena. Over the course of the show she has lost: two sets of parents (adopted and biological), Aunt Jenna, Alaric (for a time), Jeremy (for a time), Bonnie (for a time), Aaron, and I am sure I am missing a few others. In the first season, Elena was grieving for her parents, and I was grieving for my grandmother. This show made me feel a little less alone in my grief.
3. In life, you have to make sacrifices
Almost every character on this show has had to make sacrifices for their friends, significant others, or family members. At some point in life, you must set aside what you want for someone you care about.
4. We all deserve an epic and consuming love
A reoccurring theme is “the epic love.” and “Vampire Diaries” has no shortage of couples to ship (Klaus and Caroline, and Damon and Elena come to mind). Hopefully, you will find "a love that consumes you" too.
5. Live life fully
When you are a vampire, you can live a hundred lifetimes (as long as no one stakes you) and fully immerse yourself in everything the world has to offer. Even though we, as humans, only get one lifetime, we should make the most of it.
6. Everyone has a complicated family…
The Salvatore brothers are in love with the same girl, Gilberts are dying right and left (not to mention Elena compelled Jeremy to forget about Vikki’s death, and then he found out), Matt's mom left him alone and Klaus had all of his siblings stuffed in coffins for decades; it’s a nice reminder that no family is perfect.
7. But family is everything-
At the end of the day, Damon and Stefan are brothers first, Elena and Jeremy would do anything for each other, Matt's friends are his family and Klaus wants his family together: “always and forever.”
8. The art of storytelling
As someone who wants to be involved in storytelling for a living, this show has been everything to me. Not every season was perfect, but every season has had fantastic cliffhangers and well-developed characters.
“The Vampire Diaries” may be rooted in supernatural, but it has a real life pulse at its core. I am sorry that this current season is the last because it has been on TV for my entire high school and college career, but I look forward to seeing how it ends.
