The One With My Ultimate Comfort Show

I’m not sure I could fit one more plan into my fall schedule. Deadlines, work, clubs, and classes have taken over my life. The “ber” months are upon us, and as much as I love the hustle that comes with this season, I find myself looking for moments of recluse any chance I get. There’s always been one source of entertainment that I have turned to no matter the phase of life: the beloved sitcom, Friends. The show follows a group of six friends in their late 20s and early 30s as they navigate life, love, and relationships in New York City. With 10 seasons and 236 episodes, Friends became one of the most beloved sitcoms of its time and continues to resonate with audiences today. The cozy setting, paired with the relatable and humorous plotlines, is one of the many reasons why it has become my ultimate comfort show. No matter what mood I’m in, I can always watch an episode (or two, or three) and feel better.

Friends is a show that has been with me since my early days of Junior High. I distinctly remember visiting my grandparents one weekend, and my grandmother handed me all ten seasons of Friends on DVD, which she had since the show first came out in 1994, with episodes airing once a week. I was overjoyed, and in the months that followed, I binged all ten seasons, obsessed with the characters, plot, and setting. I cried during Monica and Chandler’s proposal, laughed over Joey’s realization of seeing Ross’s sweater, and still debate with friends whether Ross and Rachel were on a break. 

As I unpacked the plethora of boxes in my first apartment, I remember plugging in my DVD player and neatly stacking all of my Friends discs in the main compartment of my TV stand. It felt fitting to have them all on display, to have them within arm’s reach as I navigated this new phase of my life. On my first night staying at my apartment, my Mom and I fell asleep to an episode of Friends, the sitcom filling the empty walls of the apartment in a way that I still find comforting to this day. In many ways, entering that new phase of adulthood felt daunting and overwhelming, and in the weeks to follow, Friends constantly played in the background. The familiar laugh track, comedic jokes delivered by Chandler, and the comforting orange glow of Central Perk put me at ease within the four walls that I now called home. 

I entered college wanting to find my own group of friends, desperate to find people who could be my chosen family during my time at West Chester. I wanted the funny friend, to joke like Chandler, and the goofy friend, spunky and free, much like Phoebe. I wanted someone with a big heart who cares deeply about friendships (and food), like Joey. I wanted to find a nerdy friend, one who cared about their studies and would challenge me on just about anything, channeling their inner Ross. I wanted girlfriends I could tell everything to, friends I could shop with, and friends that I knew would always have my back, much like Rachel and Monica. I appreciated the qualities of these characters, however fictional, and began searching for some of these qualities in others. I’m proud to say I have found those people- the goofy ones, the smart ones, the kind ones- and it has made all the difference to have those friends in my life as I navigate college. Most importantly, though, I wanted to find these qualities within myself. I want to be someone that people can turn to, laugh with, and connect with. I want my kindness to make a difference in people’s lives; I want my apartment to be a comfortable place for us to gather, to play games, watch movies, and be a part of each other’s lives. 

Life during college can feel unpredictable. Classes demand different things from you, relationships shift, and many of us balance our part-time jobs on the side, desperately trying to cram everything we can into these 4 short years that we are here. I think it’s important to surround yourself with people who brighten your day. It sounds cliché, but you truly are who you surround yourself with. Having reliable friendships in college can make the toughest times a little easier. While a fictional show can never replace the importance of real friendship, Friends has become a comfort show that has grown with me through all phases of my life, and I know it will continue to provide me with a sense of comfort and familiarity whenever I need it most. I hope everyone has a chance to find their Joeys, Phoebes, Rosses, Rachels, Monicas, and Chandlers of the world- people who will be there for you, no matter what. 

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