Maya and Anna from Pen15 are a shockingly relatable duo of awkward, bumbling best friends navigating middle school in the early 2000s. None of us were old enough to be teens in the early 2000s, but as a 21-year-old super-fan I can attest to the endless life lessons served in this coming-of-age comedy.
If you ask me, we’ve gotten too used to the scrappy underdog pulling herself up by her boot straps and trading their Ls for Ws through a fun transformation montage. Anna and Maya never compromise who they are, and that’s the kind of story we need. That’s why I’ve decided to create a highlight reel of their best lessons in channeling your inner badass:
The Funny Girl Always Comes Out on Top
This also happens to be a personal motto and affirmation of mine, because ultimately in life you need to know how to make yourself laugh. Maya may be awkward, but she’s hardly shy when she uses her bold humor to get the entire classroom cracking up. She’s not afraid to passionately impersonate Jim Carry in front of her crush and classmates, and she uses humor as an outlet, something I think we could all use a little more of.
Stay in Your Lane
Maya and Anna might be typical boy-obsessed pre-teens in essence, but they spend their year constantly trying new things and blooming with self growth. They star in the winter music showcase and the school play, join the wrestling team at one point, and always put each other first. The girls show us that going through phases and temporary obsessions is how we discover ourselves, and treasuring the people we love the most is the best way to attract more good energy.
Hold Out for Something Real
Maya enters the school year with an unfortunate new bowl-cut hairdo, but filled with excitement nonetheless. Her and Anna eat lunch with their quirky unpopular guy friends, and the long-game Sam plays will melt your heart. You can’t help but gush at how Maya’s platonic friend hid his feelings for a year before confessing he’s the one she’s been talking to online for months. Sam never gives up on his crush and chases Maya all the way through season two- even when she didn’t know he liked her.