There are a few things that I hold sacred, but my female friendships and Bachelor Mondays take the cake. Watching The Bachelor with my girlfriends has been a tradition for several years now. Every Monday, it didn’t matter how much homework we had, or how tired we were: my closest friends and I would all watch the episode live, and of course, talk a lot about it. It’s become something I really look forward to and has allowed me to get closer to some incredible women who I’m lucky to have in my life.
I haven’t been this invested in a season of The Bachelor in a while, but Joey Graziadei’s season was surely one I devoted all my attention to. As the season has officially come to an end, there’s so much I have to say. And it’s not about Joey (don’t get me wrong — I love him, he is a sweetheart). Rather, it’s about two strong, like-minded, ultimate girls’ girls: Daisy Kent and Kelsey Anderson.
Not to toot my own horn, but I called it that Daisy and Kelsey would be in Joey’s top two after watching the first episode. I just had a gut feeling about it, but what I didn’t know was how much I would grow to truly appreciate and respect their character, confidence, and dedication to friendship, especially after the finale.
While The Bachelor is a reality competition show, it also offers up a unique opportunity for the contestants to grow in female friendships, despite them all competing for the same guy’s heart.
Throughout the season, both Daisy and Kelsey demonstrated kindness, humor, and a true desire to be committed to a life with Joey in the end. But, their strong friendship and support for each other were impossible to ignore during the finale on March 25.
While The Bachelor is a reality competition show, it also offers up a unique opportunity for the contestants to grow in female friendships, despite them all competing for the same guy’s heart. Even though Daisy and Kelsey were in the final two, there was zero hostility between them. Rather, this was something that only brought them closer together, growing their friendship, love for each other, and support in their love lives.
They say “When you know you know, for good and for bad.” In Daisy’s case, she knew Joey wasn’t her person, and that he wasn’t her person towards the end of the competition. Despite how difficult this realization was, Daisy decided to speak with Kelsey before heading to the proposal spot, something that had never been done before in Bachelor history.
The girls had a bittersweet conversation, where Daisy asked Kelsey how her week was meeting Joey’s family and going on their last one-on-one before the proposal. Daisy opened up to Kelsey, explaining that her last date with Joey felt off and that she didn’t really feel much validation.
After this conversation, both girls headed to the proposal spot together in the same car. To say I was in shock would be an understatement. It is remarkable to see these women supporting each other in such a complex situation. Both of them have been on this journey for the same amount of time, hoping to end their journey engaged to Joey. This was the case for Kelsey, and not Daisy; something that a lot of people didn’t see coming. However, Daisy supported Kelsey every step of the way, holding her hand, and offering her all the love and support in the world.
After Daisy said goodbye to Joey, she gave Kelsey a hug and said, “I know your mom’s going to be looking down on this moment, and she’s going to be so happy.” There wasn’t a dry eye in the room. It was at this moment that my love for these two girls burst. I could not fathom how supportive of one another they were, especially how supportive Daisy was of Kelsey and Joey.
There have been times in high school and college when my friends and I expressed interest in the same guy. It’s a common situation that a lot of people go through, and for many, it can end poorly.
It was honestly a bit shocking for me to watch these two have so much support and love for each other due to the circumstances. However, they have proven that being there for your friend, no matter what situation it is, always works out in your favor.
There have been times in high school and college when my friends and I expressed interest in the same guy. It’s a common situation that a lot of people go through, and for many, it can end poorly. I am thankful, blessed, and honored to say that I have never had to end a friendship with a girlfriend over a man — and I truly believe it will stay that way for life.
I’ve always loved surrounding myself with others, and I’m incredibly grateful to have a supportive circle of female friends. I’m happy to share that a lot of my life is spent with my girlfriends by my side. Through the good, the bad, and the ugly, I can always count on them. Similar to what Daisy and Kelsey’s friendship looks like, being there for your girlfriends is something you’ll always look back at and be appreciative of.
I, and several of my other friends, are currently in relationships, but that doesn’t stop us from spending time together — like, a lot of time together. In a relationship, it’s incredibly important that you make time for yourself, your friends, and your partner. It sounds obvious, but it’s something that can be neglected. Daisy and Kelsey’s friendship is a wonderful reminder of this, and it’s certainly something I won’t forget.
I wish I was able to see more of this beautiful friendship throughout the season, but knowing they were able to foster such a bond with one another throughout the process was quite amazing to see. This friendship, created from a competition, is a reminder of how important it is to develop strong female friendships, where you can love and support one another, even in such difficult circumstances.