Six people, New York City, one amazing bond, and the line “We were on a break!” are the things that bring my favorite sitcom together. To me, Friends is not just a show; It is home in a way. The show is about the lives of six wondrous friends building a life in new york in the ’90s. Disclaimer: If you have not watched the show, the rest of this post might not make sense.
When I hear the line “I’ll be there for you, when the rain starts to pour” I automatically feel happy on the inside, even if it is just for a second. After rewatching the show quite a few times, I realized that there are things that I could learn from the show. So, here are six things that I think we could all learn from the sitcom.
1. Sometimes, you have to take the risk and go for it
If Rachel did not get off the plane to Paris, she wouldn’t have found her happy ending with Ross. She risked it all, and the outcome was worth it. Sometimes attempting is better than ending it with regret. This iconic scene shows that the safest route is not always the best one.
2. You don’t have to blend in
Phoebe is nothing but authentic and original. Her attitude towards being herself deserves the spotlight. In the one where Rachel feels ashamed of running with Phoebe in the park because she runs weirdly, Phoebe said something that I needed to hear. “Why do you care so much about what people who you don’t know and will never see again think?” Whether singing unusual songs at Central Perk or running weirdly, Phoebe always embraced her true self and never faked it to fit in.
3. You have to experience new things to find out who you are
If Ross hadn’t met Emily, he wouldn’t have realized that Rachel is the one. So this shows that sometimes only if you try new things you will figure out what you really want. The mind does not settle when it knows what is right. It only settles when it realizes what is right.
4. You don’t always have to have it all planned
The show portrays the most unexpected things to be beautiful. No one saw Chandler and Monica coming, and yet that relationship turned out to be beautiful. The best things are usually the ones that weren’t a part of the plan.
5. Don’t give up on yourself
Joey Tribbiani never gave up. No matter how many auditions he failed, he never gave up and kept on trying till he reached. Joey knew that he could do it, and that is the factor that boosted his acting career.
6. It is the little things that matter
This is perhaps the most important thing. You don’t need significant achievements and fancy things to feel happy. Sometimes the best moments could be the ones shared over a cup of coffee in a cafe with the people you love. These memories are the ones worth cherishing.
The Friends reunion inspired me to write this, and I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing this. Do let me know whether you would like to read more posts like this one.
-Shivani Arvind
Shivani Arvind 