The perfect show for college girls is HBO’s Girls. I heard about it last summer and was interested because I had heard that the show was about girls around my age living in New York, one of the places I am looking to live after graduation. I didn’t expect it to be fantastic, but a show I might enjoy catching up on each week.
But after seeing the first couple of episodes, I was hooked. If you haven’t heard of the show, it follows four girls, three of whom are out of college and trying to navigate their lives each day. From love, to careers, to even a few awkward trips to the gynecologist, the show is honest, and each girl has characteristics that are easy to relate to.
From watching the first season, I realized how easy it is to relate to each character and their situations. It’s fun to watch their lives unfold, and I think this show teaches the 20-something girls out there some important life lessons.
1. We are all awkward to an extent. You just have to laugh it off.
We all have those moments. Those moments when we feel like there must be a camera around because our lives just seem far too ridiculous. And the girls of Girls are no exception to this. They experience those same moments: running into an ex who has a new girlfriend just a week after breaking up, making a wrong comment or two during a job interview, or talking nonstop because a moment of silence seems far too long. They all have their moments, but rather than put their head down and pretend “it didn’t happen,” these girls laugh at their unfortunate situations. We can’t get through the bad or awkward times by ignoring them, and it’s healthy to be able to laugh at yourself every once and a while.
2. Nothing and no one can replace your good friends.
Good friends are there to get you through the good times and bad. They are a part of your life, and personally, I can say that I have no idea where I would be without my roommates and friends. In Girls, the four friends are so different, but that is what makes them work. They balance each other out. Yes, there are fights and other rough patches along the way, but the laughter weights it out—these friends are always there for each other. It also helps that this show is perfect to watch with your friends while all hanging out together!
3. Embrace the unknown.
Yes, it can be terrifying, but life would be dull if we did not take chances every once and a while. I love this show because you see four girls who are at different stages when it comes to taking chances. Jessa thrives on the unexpected and lives her life without plans. Hannah makes plans but is willing to take risks and be herself without fear of rejection. Marnie struggles with the unknown and always wants to have a plan–from what time she will eat her breakfast to when she will check her email that night. And Shoshanna is not afraid to say what she thinks, but has a difficult time acting on what she says. We all can relate to at least one of these girls, and that is why it is so fun to watch the show. It’s great to see them go after what they want in life or learn to let go step and step and take more chances. We could all learn from this, and no matter the outcome, be happy we tried. (remember lesson #1!)
4. When in doubt, dance it out.
Sometimes life can be stressful and it is easy to forget about relaxing. But what I have found from this show is that there is no problem that can’t be solved without a little bit of dancing every once and a while. We are young and can’t worry too much about the stressors in life. Yes, classes, relationships, and all things future-related are important, but if that is all we focus on all of the time, we wouldn’t have any fun. Sometimes you just need to blast some music, have a dance party and forget about your troubles. Several times the girls of Girls have tough times, but are never afraid to take a night off and dance it out. Sometimes it will help you realize that all worries aren’t worth the stress.
Girls is a show I highly recommend. Unfortunately, it plays on HBO so it’s not easy to watch the current season, but the first season is out on DVD and available to rent on Netflix!
* all pictures are from HBO.com