With all the pride in the world, I can admit that having Friends has changed my life and I now feel that it is my job to share my lessons with the world. I don’t mean my friends…though they’re great and have oodles of outstanding advice for me constantly. Instead, I’m referring to the 90’s hit sitcom Friends. Rachel, Ross, Monica, Chandler, Joey and Phoebe; the whole gang and the source of my late night television obsession. It makes me nervous for our generation that, though we were born in the 1990’s, not everyone is in tune with the show. Luckily, as a true addict of the show I know that it airs on two different networks daily, TBS from 3 p.m. until 5 p.m. and then on Nick at NIte starting from midnight until 2 a.m. for all you night owls out there. So, if you’ve never been sucked into the show as throngs of others have, then make sure to work your schedule around it.
So, why all the passion for the show? As I said earlier, it’s more than just a show. It’s an outlet for educational experiences without ever actually having to go through the embarrassment yourself. Sounds like a good deal, huh? The six characters that comprise the Friends cast are all so unique and witty in their own kooky way so that everyone can relate to at least one. With their relationships within and without their inner circle, their career issues and their constant debacle over who’s going to get the bigger apartment, it’s easy to find yourself falling in love with their issues and relating them to your everyday life. So, if each “friend” teaches a different lesson then how do we zone in on just one? We don’t (duh)! This week I’m covering.. *drum roll please* Phoebe Buffay!
Why Phoebe? On the surface she just seems like someone who sports overall dresses too often and sometime come off as “ditsy,” but at a second look (or 17 because that’s how many times I’ve seen each episode) you’ll see that she has a lot of depth to her and can teach those of us looking for our place or purpose a few good lessons to live by.
Lesson 1: Be weird.
I mean don’t try to be weird if you’re not naturally weird because that just makes you seem a little insane. But deep down we’re all a little freaky and we know it. Phoebe is a walking build board for being different, even if at times it’s viewed as weird. But there’s something about getting to publicly display your weirdness that’s sometimes a release for all of us. We all need to be more like Phoebe and hop up on stage to sing out self-titled “Smelly Cat”…but metaphorically of course. I know that being a first year on campus can be so overwhelming and you meet more people in a single day than you’ve meet over the past six months. If you get caught up in what they’re doing and who they’re trying to become without following your heart then you’ll end up stepping back someday and not knowing who you are exactly. Phoebe may cause people to step back and stare sometimes, but at the end of the day she obviously still has friends (hence the title) and they completely accept her in all her weird glory. So be yourself, make the decisions you feel most comfortable with and don’t let other’s judgements ever hold you back from pursuing what you love.
Lesson 2: Be selfless.
In season four one of the main storylines is Phoebe’s pregnancy; a pregnancy that consist of her carrying her brother’s triplets. DO NOT STOP READING! I know that little nugget of information can freak some people out but the back story makes it clearer. Her brother marries an older woman (“Kitty” from That 70’s Show for an outside reference) and therefore they aren’t able to naturally conceive a child. So at the sacrifice of her own body Phoebe volunteers to carry their embryo. Again, I’m not saying we should all go out and become surrogates…please please don’t let that be your take away or your mom’s will kill me. What I mean through this example is to be willing to give for others. If the people of this world put aside selfish tendencies and thought of how to make one person’s day better or lend out a helping hand even in the smallest of way, I genuinely believe that we would all be a lot better off. Phoebe exemplifies this quality constantly throughout the show. Her pregnancy, her reoccurring relationship advice and presence in any sort of support situations leaves her with a constantly bubbly outlook on life and there’s no way the two aren’t connected. So be nice, be caring, and take time every day to try and make someone else’s.
Lesson 3: Be the best friend you can be.
All six characters of the show are there for each other and show an obvious intention to always be there when needed. However, Phoebe goes above and beyond. When it comes to secret keeping-like with Rachel’s pregnancy-she’s a pro. If Joey is having trouble with an acting class she’s there to read lines. When her sister is rude to her she still comes back with kindness. She’s the kind of friend would walk you back from Frat Court in the middle of the night and then order food for you. So even though it might take effort and you may sometimes have to go out of your way, being a good friend will mean good friendships in return. When you’re away at college and family may not be close by your friends become like family, just as Phoebe’s friends are her entire life and family at the end of the day. For good times and bad times, be a Phoebe and befriend a Phoebe.
Take this and learn from it but remember that Phoebe is just one of six Friends and each one is important. If you’ve never watched this show then start….tonight! And I mean that in the friendliest way possible.