I've been an avid Gilly for more than 10 years now, and like any bookish straight-A student in the 2000s, I desperately wanted to be Rory Gilmore (a few errors in judgment not withstanding) throughout high school and college. In a lot of ways, I grew up alongside Rory. In anticipation of a new chapter of Gilmore Girls finally returning to my life on FRIDAY, here are the top 10 things I learned from watching the original seven seasons.
This goes without saying, but there are a few mild spoilers of Seasons 1-7 below. Consider yourself warned.
Obvious, but you can never have too much coffee.
I am pretty sure you can measure a fan's dedication to Gilmore Girls by the amount of coffee they have consumed that day.
Always, always plan your outfits the night before.
You don't want to be the Daisy Duke of Headmaster Charleston's office. See also: don't use unreliable alarm clocks.
Just because someone tells you to get more involved does not mean you need to join a secret society.
Maybe Rory did come across as kind of a loner when she read at lunch with headphones in. (Wait, that is me every day at work. Maybe I need to reevaluate some things.) But she still should have known to run away from the Mean Girl wannabes of Chilton before they broke into the headmaster's office.
But if you do join a secret society, join one that has super elaborate parties and/or stunts.
Those might be worth it.
When in doubt, throw in a pop culture reference.
And that's just from ONE SEASON. Seriously, how do they remember all of this stuff?
Don't go back for seconds with your ex-boyfriend if he is married.
DON'T. DO. IT.
Don't let someone else's snarky opinion derail your future.
Mr. Huntzberger was a jerk. But Rory stealing a boat in response to him telling her she won't make it as a journalist is probably a sign of self esteem issues. Plus, it's hard to outrun the gossip fallout.
Don't model adult behavior after Lorelei Gilmore.
I know she raised Rory on her own, and I respect that. I also know that she worked her way up from a maid to be an owner of the Dragonfly Inn. Both of these seem to indicate a certain level of maturity. But where is this when it comes to human relationships and a basic respect for others? Love you, Lorelei, but you got some work to do.
Don't mess with Emily Gilmore.
I know some people aren't as Team Emily as I am, but you have to respect her ability to stand up when her family is being wronged/threatened/slighted. I definitely wouldn't want to cross her.
Families are complicated.
Whether it is Mrs. Kim and Lane, Luke and Liz, or any of the Gilmore clan, this show shows us a fraction of how complicated relationships can be. The people you hate upon first glance might end up being your best friends, and the person that seems amazing at first might actually suck (*cough* Dean *cough*). Each action has a consequence (except eating junk food, apparently), and every conflict has multiple perspectives. And through all the relationships runs a cord of love that is frayed, but not broken. These are the things that make Gilmore Girls so interesting to watch, and they are the reason that the show is still relatable after 15 years. I can't wait to see how they capture that magic in "Gilmore Girls A Year in the Life".
See you in Stars Hollow.
