Since being added back onto Netflix in 2020, New Girl has had a renaissance amongst television viewers and media consumers. New Girl is the perfect show, being easy to watch and enjoyable with 7 seasons of short and funny episodes that appeal to both your humour and your heart. With the middle of the semester upon us, I have compiled a list of the 10 best New Girl episodes to give you the motivation to push through and grind out the rest of the semester.
- Season 1, Episode 2: “Kryptonite”
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In this episode, Jess has to retrieve all of her belongings from her toxic, magician-haired ex-boyfriend, Spencer. This episode displays all of those mid-semester blues; procrastination, avoidance, anger and even some sadness. Getting the stuff back involves the entire gang rallying around Jess, some funny hats and major self-motivation; its the perfect representation of how this part of the semester feels and how to get through it.
- Season 1, Episode 20: “Normal”
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This episode is a fan favourite as it features the first appearance of the mysterious drinking game – True American – for which you can find the rules online and play with your friends. The episode also features Winston starting a new job as an assistant and Nick attempting to present his business idea to Jess’ successful boyfriend. This episode encapsulates the stress of new beginnings, new jobs and the anxiety that often accompanies the journey to success, making it a perfect addition to this list.
- Season 2, Episode 4: “Neighbors”
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When the loft gets a new group of young, hip and directionless neighbours, Jess and Schmidt attempt to become their friends. Jess, having recently lost her job feels accepted by the new neighbours who don’t see her shortcomings the way she does. Schmidt, on the other hand, just wishes to be seen as cool. This episode really enforces that there is no right certain path or dedicated speed for your life; there are so many unknown roadblocks and challenges, and what truly matters is staying motivated and driven. This episode serves as a great reminder for a lot of struggling students who feel outpaced and discouraged this point in the semester.
- Season 3, Episode 11: “Clavado En Un Bar”
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In the classic New Girl style of flashbacks and funny stories, this episode sees the gang help Jess decide between two job opportunities. This episode shows each character’s career origins and provides insight into how they became who they are. Watching the group reminisce their beginnings and careers is a great motivator to any student struggling with figuring out their passions or their future.
- Season 3, Episode 23: “Cruise”
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This episode is the definition of the iconic New Girl chaos. After booking a non-refundable cruise while together as a couple, the now-broken-up Nick and Jess recruit the gang to take the vacation with them. After some sea-faring craziness, the group gets locked inside their suite and spends the entirety of their vacation trapped inside the confines of their very small room. Being locked inside your hotel room on the sea seems extremely similar to a full year of online school, and if the cast of New Girl can survive it, so can you.
- Season 4, Episode 6: “Background Check”
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This is possibly the funniest episode of television ever made. It involves Winston having to pass an in-home background check for his position at the police academy and the possession of a bag of what might be meth. If Winston can survive the insanity that is the background check, you can survive the rest of the semester!
- Season 4, Episode 8: “Teachers”
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Anxiety about your job and your future is extremely common and incredibly valid, yet this episode of New Girl makes it seem funny, relatable and endearing. In this episode, Coach and Jess attend a teaching conference and Coach’s insecurity about his abilities as a teacher come to light. This episode is funny, heartwarming and serves as a great reminder that everyone feels the stress and anxiety of doing well and wanting to succeed.
- Season 5, Episode 19: “Dress”
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Something every student is familiar with, especially at this point in the semester, is procrastination. This episode perfectly demonstrates the panic, stress and guilt associated with procrastination. Previously in the season, Jess had been tasked with fixing Cece’s incredibly ugly wedding dress, but now, weeks before the wedding, the dress has yet to be fixed. Together, Jess and Schmidt race to fix the dress before Cece discovers. This is a great episode to watch to feel just a bit better about all those last-minute assignments!
- Season 6, Episode 2: “Hubbedy Bubby”
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Set during the 2016 presidential election, Cece and Jess set out to register new voters and win a bet against Schmidt. In the end, the plan foils and both teams end up helping one another. The episode really demonstrates the importance of advocating for yourself while working hard towards your goals. It is the perfect serving of that much-needed mid-semester motivation and inspiration.
- Season 7, Episode 2: “Tuesday Meeting”
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The final season of New Girl features a time jump three years forward and we get to see the gang as they come into their own in their relationships as parents and as partners. This episode sees Cece, with the support of a dangerous combination of coffee and wine, encourage Jess to ask for more responsibility at her new job. It also features Nick, who is struggling to come up with new ideas now that he is a successful author. This episode is all about advocating for yourself and fighting for what you want, even if you need help from your friends. It’s a perfect episode to remind you that you are entirely capable, something we all tend to forget at this point in the semester.