Could I BE More Obsessed?

I’ll be there for you! When I was around 12 years old, I watched my very first episode of Friends. I don’t remember which episode it was, but I have seen the entire series at least 10 times since. I have rarely watched it in order. Most of the times I watched was super late at night when everyone else was asleep and I couldn’t sleep due to my insomnia. I waited patiently for all of the kid shows to end and even though I was still a child myself I would binge watch Friends, George Lopez, and The Nanny long into the wee hours of the morning. Friends, of course was my absolute favorite of the bunch. Watching them episode after episode hoping that some day I would be able to have a group of friends just like them! You see I was never the type of person to have friends. I dreaded going to school each day, because everyone there hated me and I never figured out why. Friends was an escape from reality for me. Due to past traumas I had developed ptsd by the time I was 11 and it was one of the ways I chose to cope with it. Watching the Friends laugh their way out of every situation really helped shape who I am today. I know that Friends is very controversial for its occasional fat phobia, slight homophobia, misogynistic nature, but as a child I never saw any of that. The only thing I saw was 6 friends who genuinely care about each other and I wanted that more than anything. Now that I am older and I have seen the entire show multiple more times, I finally understand most of the jokes and references they make. I can also tell now that there are a ton of problematic moments that would never fly in today’s society and for good reason! However, for its time I feel it was a very progressive show that tackled many topics that no one else would dare tackle. I am now 24 years old. I am getting married next year and I still don’t have the Friend group I have always wanted, but I know that when I am feeling overwhelmed I can always turn on Friends and for a brief period of time it feels like I am one of them. I still tear up every time Monica and Chandler finally get engaged, I still sing along to Smelly Cat and clap along to the theme every single time it comes on. I still wish I could try that supposedly very delicious Cheesecake and Ross’s “Moist Maker” sandwich. I still wish I could go to Central Perk with my Friends and talk about our problems together and celebrate our accomplishments. I wish I could get life advice from Pheobe. I wish I could get a hug from Joey. I wish I could be told a joke by Chandler. I wish I could go shopping with Rachel and talk about science with Ross. A couple of years ago I started watching the show with my future Sister in Law and now she is hooked as well. It is now something we can relate to and discuss at length. We both don’t really like Ross all that much, but we both absolutely love the story. No matter how old you are or how many times you have seen it, Friends will never get old. Every single time they put their keys on the counter and leave forever, it breaks my heart, but then I remember all I have to do is start over and watch poor Rachel run inside Central Perk in her wedding dress and enjoy the magic all over again.