In high school, my expectations of what college would be like were almost exclusively shaped by the television show Gilmore Girls. As a high schooler, Rory Gilmore was a goody-two-shoes, studious bookworm single-mindedly concerned with getting into a good college – I identified with her completely. Watching Rory leave her charming hometown of Stars Hollow for the luxuriously academic world of Yale inspired me to leave my small hometown in Nebraska in search of a top-notch education at Notre Dame. Before setting out on my own journey, however, I watched Rory experience four wonderful (and eventful) years at Yale.
Gilmore Girls formed a very specific idea of college in my mind, and now, as a senior at Notre Dame, I often find myself comparing my college experience with Rory Gilmore’s. The show got a lot right. But it also got a lot wrong. Here are some of the things about Rory’s time at Yale that I now found outlandish, unbelievable, or singular to her experience.
First of all, she manages to go home to Stars Hollow just about every weekend. This is simply not feasible for most students, especially for the amount of homework I assume those attending Yale often have. There are some weekends when I struggle to even leave my dorm room with all the work I have to do, let alone go home.
Equally preposterous is the number of gorgeous guys that are practically lining up to date Rory. From her adoring friend Marty to her high-school boyfriend Dean to the uber-rich playboy Logan, Rory has waaaay more dating options than I ever have. And I have yet to join any secret societies in college (though I am open to the idea, if any of them will please contact me about doing so!). Also, not everyone at college is white, like practically the entire cast of Gilmore Girls. The most far-fetched plot of the show, in my opinion, is Rory’s ability to take a semester of college off and still manage to graduate on time. This would not be the case at most schools, especially at a place as academically rigorous and competitive as a freaking Ivy League school. With all of that said, Gilmore Girls did get a few things right about college. There are some particularly relatable moments of Rory’s time at Yale. Taking on too much at college is a very realistic storyline. At one point, Rory goes to her professor’s office, expecting to receive an A-marked paper but, instead, he suggests she has overstretched herself and recommends she drop his class. I think we have all felt at some point during college that we have overexerted ourselves and are involved in too much. The harsh reality is that sometimes you need to drop a class or give up an activity or club in order to succeed.
Another relatable moment is when Rory visits Stars Hollow with her friend Paris, and the two get drunk on “Founder’s Day” punch and try not to call their boyfriends/love interests, with whom they are each upset. A particular moment during this episode resonates with me. Punch-drunk, Rory goes home and throws up, lies on the cold bathroom floor in her mother’s arms, and cries, “Why doesn’t he like me?” We’ve all been there, Rory.
Finally, throughout college, Rory’s family, especially her mom Lorelai, still takes priority in her life. Rory’s relationship with her mom is definitely tested during her college years when Rory temporarily drops out of Yale and when she sleeps with her (married!) ex-boyfriend Dean. Her mom doesn’t blindly support Rory when she makes these terrible choices, but Rory and Lorelai make up and remain the most important people in each other’s lives. Most importantly, they unconditionally love and support one another through breakups, fights with friends, and failures. During all of life’s struggles, their mother-daughter bond stays strong. College doesn’t change the fact that your family should always be there for you, and vice versa.
Gilmore Girls is not a perfect show, and its portrayal of college is not always totally realistic. Regardless of its imperfections, I love Gilmore Girls and appreciate the ways in which it did prepare me for college. My nostalgia for the show and the lives of the Gilmore girls will forever be colored with my own fond memories of college. I look forward to watching and re-watching the show long after I graduate college.
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