Since I was 12, I remember watching "Gilmore Girls" with my mom. It was our favorite show with the fast-paced dialogue, quirky characters, and a strong relationship between Lorelai and Rory Gilmore. However, for me, the character I identify the most with is Paris Geller.
Paris Geller was originally Rory's main obstacle in the first few seasons, but as time went on she became one of Rory's closest friends. She definitely had her drawbacks and faults, especially her unchecked anger, tyrant-like command, and malicious tendencies. On the other hand, she was a fierce, relentless force to be reckoned with that inspired and continues to motivate me.
I have never seen a person work so hard (of course television hyperbole does exaggerate the situation) to achieve her goals. Honestly, I wish I was as organized as her. Her "Operation Finish Line" is my goal for my senior year of college. Instead of sitting back and letting the fear of the future take over, she planned out her last semester to give her the best opportunities once she graduated college, between internships, jobs, workshops, etc.
Though compromise is not in her vocabulary, her unwavering convictions mean that she will protect her own, like Rory or Doyle (her college boyfriend). When Rory is in a bind with her other friend, Lucy, Paris defends her and proves how much she cares for and admires her friend. She even runs interference when Logan cheated on Rory.
On the other hand, even though she's a strong woman taking care of her own business and career, she's doesn't know how to balance her love life always. In the third season, after having sex with her high school boyfriend, she gets rejected from her dream school Harvard, thinking somehow the two events are correlated. However, she does take the time to realize that it's her own fault during her Harvard interview. She bounces back stronger than before and makes waves at Yale. There she finds her boyfriend and future husband, Doyle, who is tried his best to keep up with her constant mood swings. They're such a perfect match, and instead of having her sacrifice her career and graduate school options, he chooses to follow her wishes and fit into his own dreams.
And when it comes to her career, she is so intelligent and well rounded that she can't choose between becoming a lawyer or a doctor. So she doesn't. She becomes the head of a successful fertility clinic, where she combines law and medicine.
As a college girl trying to find her way through like everyone else, it's comforting to see Paris Geller fighting her way, not letting things stand in her way and never ever procrastinating. Sometimes it feels futile to be a try hard. To do so much extra work when others are fine with just good enough. Sometimes good enough is fine, but there's nothing wrong with going above and beyond. To all the people who are on their hustle, trying their hardest to make it into the world, Paris Geller is an example of why you should never give up.