Every fall, without fail, I find myself returning to Gilmore Girls. Not always from the very beginning, and definitely not in one of those full seven-season rewatches (I’m a college student, not Rory Gilmore with her superhuman reading speed). But at some point, when the air starts to cool and the quarter gets busier, I always end up back in Stars Hollow.
There’s something about Gilmore Girls that just fits this time of year. Maybe it’s the endless coffee or the way every episode feels like a crisp fall afternoon even when it’s technically summer in the show. Watching Lorelai and Rory rush through their lives with fast-talking humor and caffeine in hand feels strangely familiar when you’re running between classes and midterms yourself.
For me, rewatching isn’t about nostalgia, it’s about comfort. College life can be chaotic. Some weeks I barely have time to sleep, let alone start a new show. But that’s the beauty of Gilmore Girls: you don’t have to watch it all to feel at home. You can drop into any episode, whether it’s “You Jump, I Jump, Jack” or “They Shoot Gilmores, Don’t They?” and it still feels like being welcomed back by old friends.
Each year I tell myself I’ll start something new – maybe the latest drama everyone’s talking about. Yet somehow when I want something that feels grounding, I go back to Rory and Lorelai. Their world reminds me that it’s okay to move slower, to take breaks and to find joy in the little things.
I think that’s why Gilmore Girls has become a fall tradition for so many of us. It isn’t just a show – it’s a reset button. It’s what we turn to when the quarter starts to feel overwhelming or when we need a reminder that even busy people deserve cozy moments.
So this year, I’m not pressuring myself to make it through every season again. Maybe I’ll just rewatch a few favorite episodes between study sessions or while sipping my overpriced pumpkin drink on campus. Maybe that’s enough.
Because Gilmore Girls isn’t about keeping up. It’s about slowing down. And sometimes that’s exactly what fall calls for.