" The Office." We all know that start up tune sure to give everyone chills. When you hear the music, you know that you are about to be taken into the lives of Dunder Mifflin and laugh your butt off. Whatever the episode entails, you know you will see Jim prank Dwight, and Dwight retaliates in some crazy way. You know that Michael Scott will make some joke that is probably inappropriate, and yet not understand why the joke is offensive. Yes, "The Office," one of the funniest shows you can binge-watch on Netflix. However, as you watch, you learn valuable life lessons along the way!
Each character within this show teaches us a lesson about life in the way they act. Here is what each character has taught their viewers:
Jim: Patience is a virtue.
For anyone who has seen this amazing show, they know that Jim waited four years to finally have Pam. Four. Long. Years. While he waited, he became Pam's best friend and the person she could rely on. While Jim does date during this time, his heart is still focused on Pam, even when he wished for otherwise. In the end, waiting for Pam instead of pushing her away landed him the love of his life. Wait for that moment, when you receive everything you want out of life - do not push for the moment to come sooner than it is supposed to.
Pam: Sometimes your first love, is not your true love.
When the show first aired, Pam was engaged to longtime boyfriend/fiance Roy. While Pam was almost certain she was going to settle down and marry Roy, something inside her heart told her to end things - it could have also been Roy's outburst, but maybe not. After breaking off the engagement, Pam shortly begins dating Jim and understands how true love feels. To think, if Pam had married Roy, there would be no Pam and Jim!
Dwight: Never give up on your dreams.
Dwight K. Schrute. A man of honor and integrity. A man who, for YEARS wanted to be the manager of Dunder Mifflin's Scranton location. Yes, at one point, he did achieve this goal, but only for a very short time. After years of continuous hard work, Dwight does become the permanent manager of Dunder Mifflin, Scranton. If Dwight had given up, who would be the manager? What would he be doing instead? By not giving up, Dwight chased his dreams and won!
Andy: Acapella is always a good decision.
Andy is by far the biggest supporter of Acapella I have seen since "Pitch Perfect" came out. Andy eats, breathes and lives for Acapella, and because of that, the viewers of "The Office" grew to love acapella just as much!
Michael: Acting like a clown is alright every now and then.
Michael is the forever "class clown" of "The Office." He makes jokes, partakes in pranks whenever he can and does whatever it takes to make his employees smile. By acting like a clown, Michael unites the office into a family, and they're not just a bunch of co-workers you see from nine to five. In life, you have to learn to cut loose, and laugh every now and then.
Angela: Expect the unexpected in life.
Angela is not one to defy expectations, and yet, she is the character that does defy expectations. Angela follows the rules, plays life safe and secure and would have never thought she would end up marrying Dwight. While Angela attempted to deny these feelings and stick to her "norm" of dating men like Andy and The Senator, she ends up doing what no one expected: marrying Dwight, the crazy beet farmer. You cannot choose who you fall in love with, right?
Toby: Sometimes, people do not like you.
In life, you will always find someone who does not like you. In fact, they would rather see you hit by a car. Within "The Office," Toby was typically that character. While Toby knew he was not well-liked, Toby stuck to his charm and personality, and showed up to spend a day with people who made him the center of all jokes.
Kevin: Life is short - enjoy the little things.
Kevin is not the brightest crayon in the box. While Kevin might be a little slower to understand a joke, he doesn't allow that to stop him from enjoying the joke in the end. From Kevin, we learn that it's the little things in life that you look forward to.
Daryl: Confidence is key.
Daryl owns his confidence and projects that confidence to anyone he meets. While Daryl is only a warehouse worker for most of this series, he owns that status, and is the best worker he can be. He also uses that confidence to better himself within the company and results in having a better job in the end. Own who you are and rock your confidence, and watch yourself succeed.
Phyllis: It is never a sign of weakness to show someone you care.
Every job, friend group or family unit needs a motherly figure, and that is exactly what Phyllis is. When Erin eventually joins the Dunder Mifflin family, Phyllis instantly takes an interest in her life. Phyllis is seen giving motherly love and advice to Erin and to anyone who needs her anytime, anyplace. Kindness is something that everyone needs at all times, and Phyllis is that prime example.
Ryan: Do not step on your friends to achieve the status you want.
Ryan is the perfect example of stepping on your friends to achieve what you want in life. When we first meet Ryan, he is an intern sent to Dunder Mifflin to work while finishing school. We see within the fourth season that Ryan has used what he knows and his connections at Dunder Mifflin to become the Vice President of Regional Sales, and Michael's boss. While this promotion is short-lived due to Ryan's drug addiction, we shortly see Ryan return to a lower position than anyone in the office. This goes to show you that you cannot expect to step on the little guys and not eventually get dragged back down.
Kelly: Acting like a princess will not get you anywhere in life.
Kelly is a hidden Disney princess, I am sure of that. Kelly demands whatever she wants, and in the end, she gets what she wants. In the end, though, because of Kelly's sour attitude, she loses Ryan, the one thing she wanted most from life. Acting like a princess can only get you so far.
Stanley: In life, you will not always like your job; however, you still have to work hard.
The one day of the year that Stanley enjoys work is pretzel day. Every other day of the year, Stanley can be seen sulking around the office. In life, however, you will not always have an amazing job every single day. However, Stanley teaches us that for those days you hate your job, you still show up and work to the best of your ability.
Meredith: It's five o'clock somewhere.
Having been portrayed as the alcoholic of Dunder Mifflin, what better lesson did Meredith teach her viewers than the joys, pain and even how you act as a person when you are drinking. Meredith teaches her viewers that drinking can be fun... in moderation.
Oscar: Be who you are and do not regret it.
As any viewer knows, Oscar is the gay worker at Dunder Mifflin. At the start of the series, Oscar is seen hiding who he is and pretends to be something he is not. However, due to Dwight's stalking ability, Oscar is soon outed at work by Michael. While this seems like a major setback for Oscar at the time, by accepting himself openly, Oscar is more able to love himself and be himself at work - no secrets. We learn that loving yourself is one of the most important aspects of life from Oscar.
Creed: In life, there is always that one weirdo.
There are no words for Creed. He says the strangest things, and at times, you swear he is a drug-abusing serial killer. He is all around a weird man. Life gives you plenty of weird people; however, it is still your job to treat them with kindness and respect.
Erin: Any place can feel like home when you surround yourself with people who love you.
Erin never had a place to call her own until she moved to Scranton and joined the Dunder Mifflin family. Having been a foster child, Erin moved from home to home, never planting any roots. However, once she finds her work, she learns that making roots for yourself is what makes life more special. Allowing people into her heart, filled her heart bigger than she had ever expected. Erin teaches people that by allowing people into her heart, she found her home, and discovered herself.
If you have never seen "The Office," I highly recommend sitting down, pulling up Netflix and start watching now. These characters teach something in every lesson - sometimes you just have to think about the episode to get the lesson. In the end, you won't regret this journey with these characters. Laugh you head off, cry your eyes out and love every minute of the show.
