Moving away from everything that you have grown up familiar with is not an easy feat. This fall semester is my first at Florida State, and the first time I’m living away from home. Changing from a smaller community college where I could stay home, to a big campus in a dorm has been a significant change of pace. I know I’m not alone when I say that I was scared. This new step meant I wasn’t going to be just a moment away from my loved ones, and most of all, I was really going to miss my cat. So when I’m in between Zoom classes, procrastinating assignments or starting to feel down, here are the five shows I’ve been finding lift my spirits
1. Gilmore Girls
This is a show that is like a warm hug from an old friend. Following the unique relationship of a single mother and her daughter, Lorelai and Rory Gilmore will leave you wittier than ever and suddenly craving coffee. Giving off all of the cozy fall vibes which are very much welcomed at this time of year, I can’t stress enough how these characters and the town of Stars Hollow makes all the anxiety inside of me disappear.
2. Parks and Recreation
This show is a beautifully crafted mockumentary of the Parks and Recreation department in the city government of Pawnee, Indiana. I can’t imagine anyone watching this show and not loving it. It is my lifelong aspiration to be the hardworking and all-around excellent human being that is Leslie Knope. When I watch her, I can’t help but feel empowered, like I can do anything that I set my mind to and absolutely crush it. With an office full of genuinely hilarious characters, this is a great show to laugh with or play in a quiet dorm room if you feel alone.
3. Cursed
This Netflix original takes place in the fantasy world of Arthurian legend. It gives us a new, unexplored story on a more mysterious character, the Lady of the Lake, also known as Nimue. She is sent on a mission with the legendary Sword of Power to save her people’s future from complete extermination. I love a good fantasy and adventure story, especially when a strong female lead calls the shots. I have been able to transport at any time from a small dorm room into a beautiful, magical realm that gives me a moment of relief from my current situation.
4. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
There is not nearly enough hype and credit given to this show. Miriam “Midge” Maisel is an Upper West Side housewife in the 1950s, and it’s when her husband leaves her she finds her natural talent and calling in stand-up comedy. As one of the many shows I binge-watched during quarantine, I recommend it to anyone who will listen to me. If you watch even just the first episode, I guarantee you will want the rest of the season in one sitting. I love anything that will make me laugh, and, in the moments where I was thinking of home and how alone I felt, this show was there. And if you aren’t sold on this show yet, there is also the fashion icon that is Midge Maisel. She is serving some serious looks in every scene that will leave you wanting to become besties to borrow clothes from her closet. Or maybe that’s just me.
5. Brooklyn Nine-Nine
This sitcom follows the antics and happenings of Detective Jake Peralta and his coworkers as they solve crimes policing one of the NYPD’s precincts. If there is one thing you need to know, it is that this is not your average cop show-and actually that it is one of the best shows you’ll ever come across, so maybe two things. With running gags and characters that will make you literally LOL, this is one that you cannot miss. After watching this show, I can only dream that my future workplace could compare to the Brooklyn Nine-Nine family.
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