Gilmore Girls is 100% my favorite Netflix series of all time. 7 seasons, 153 episodes and 6885 minutes of laugh out loud moments and teary, heartfelt ones.
One of my favorite parts about Gilmore Girls is simply the overwhelmingly nostalgic and comforting energy the show gives off. The show is full of 2000’s pop culture references, as it aired from 2000 to 2007. At the same time, most of the story is set in the small town of Stars Hollow, a fictional town in Connecticut located near Hartford. Main character Rory Gilmore and her mother live in Stars Hollow which is known for its tight-knit community and charismatic townspeople. The overall nostalgia, humor, and atmosphere of the show perfectly illustrates the show as a “feel good family show” that you will love.
While the sassy one-liners from Lorelai Gilmore, Rory’s mother, and the nostalgic 2000’s look will definitely get you initially hooked to the show, what really makes you become a diehard fan is the life lessons you constantly pick up from following Rory’s journey. When the show starts, Rory is a highschooler at Stars Hollow high school. While she is extremely intelligent, which is why she is accepted into a prestigious private school shortly after, she seems to be quite timid and unsure of herself. However, over the 7 seasons, Rory finds her voice and becomes a confident young woman who just graduated from university.
As a college student, I definitely resonated with the various lessons and takeaways in the show’s plot. First, I learned that it’s very much acceptable to “start over” when things don’t turn out the way you want them to. Rory has always had extremely big dreams for herself. After she becomes valedictorian in her high school, gets accepted to multiple top universities, and starts attending Yale University, she faces numerous challenges in her first year. When she is told during an internship that she doesn’t have what it takes to become a journalist, she breaks down and copes with this disappointment by stealing a boat with her boyfriend (which lands her in jail overnight) and dropping out of Yale for a couple of months. At the same time, her relationship with her mother becomes strained and she ends up living in the pool house at her grandmother’s.
This just shows that no matter how detailed your plans are and no matter how ambitious you are, it is perfectly normal to encounter a hurdle. Personally, before coming to college, I always thought that I needed to have everything figured out day one, and that if something goes wrong, it would automatically be the end of my college life. However, I learned that this is completely normal and setbacks only make you stronger. However, even though you should expect challenges, I also learned that you should never apologize for having big dreams. I always felt nervous whenever I set myself such high goals but I realized that, just like Rory, it is completely okay to dream big as long as you give yourself the time and space needed.
Another important thing I learned from Rory that I think most college girls can relate to is to never forget where you come from. While Rory spent all of her life in small and charming Stars Hollow, moving to Yale and experiencing college life was definitely a huge culture shock for her. Despite the initial challenges she faced, she was always able to find a strong support system with her small town and stays connected to it throughout her four years in college. Especially being a student in UCLA and living in the city, sometimes it can be really easy to get caught up in everything and forget your previous values and upbringing. While college is a time to figure out who you are and grow, I think that it is always important to remember and treasure your background which is something that makes everyone very unique. Especially as I am an international student from Indonesia, I definitely try my best to keep in touch with my culture and traditions even though I am attending a university so far away from home.
Lastly, but most importantly, Gilmore Girls shows you how crucial it is to get out of your comfort zone in college. While it is essential to remember who you are and your upbringing, college is also a time to explore new options. When Rory first meets Logan during the life-death brigade event, she is completely pushed out of her comfort zone by doing crazy stunts and jumping off a high platform with just an umbrella. While this was obviously very dangerous and probably not something to replicate, I think the overarching message is that it is important to push yourself and try new things. Don’t jump off a cliff like she did, but maybe try out a new club or take the initiative to reach out to fellow classmates.
Overall, Rory Gilmore has made such a huge impact on my college life. While the show is extremely comforting and wholesome, what really makes it meaningful is the takeaways that you will gain from it. So, if you’re ever lacking confidence or needing advice from one of the best girl bosses on Netflix, watch Gilmore Girls!