Life lessons from Rory Gilmore.

Everything you need to know in life  you can learn from Rory Gilmore.

You: Be strong. Compassionate. Loving. Caring. Honest. Witty. Treat people with respect. Give back to your community. Be involved. Be organized. Make to-do lists. Advocate for yourself. Be familiar with pop culture and how the world works. Do your own laundry. Be comfortable with spending time alone. Know that music is important to life in general. Cut your hair really short at least once. It's okay if your diet consists of Chinese food, pizza, and breakfast foods. It's also okay to be sufficiently awkward sometimes. Make pro/con lists for all important life decisions. Set goals. Change your mind. Stay classy. When things go wrong, dust yourself off and continue with your day.  

Your Family: It's important to stay close to your parents. No matter their relationship with each other, you may just be the thing that brings them together over and over again. It is possible to be their friend, best friend even. Treat them with respect and kindness and smile often. They'll do the same back. Share hobbies and interests with them. Have inside jokes with them. They're not embarrassing and in most instances they probably know exactly what you're talking about, have been through it or have felt how you feel. Embrace them.

Your Education: Education is key. If you can dream it, you can achieve it. But you have to work for it. Study. Read. Discover. Volunteer. Travel. Ask for help. Ask for guidance. Get a mentor. Put yourself out there. Don't be afraid of rejection. But know when and if you need a break. You can learn a lot about yourself by taking yourself out of the classroom and transplanting yourself into the real world. If it's too soon, you'll be back in the classroom in no time. In school and at work, be passionate. Immerse yourself in whatever it is you're doing. Love what you do, because it makes you who you are. There's beauty and interest in every job. Don't let anyone take that away from you.

Your Friends: You'll have some that will complement you, and some who will challenge you. Both are equally important. You won't always see eye to eye, and while communication is vital -- true friendships continue even if you don't talk often. Friends are honest, and keep promises but real friends tell someone (mainly, someone who can help) when you're in real trouble. Don't write them off, they mean well.

Your Relationships: Maybe not in this order but -- you'll have a first love, you'll have a "Jess", you'll have the person [everyone thinks] you'll marry, and you'll have some in between. They are all important, some more than others. Don't lose yourself in them. Don't forget who you are. Don't sit home on a Friday night waiting for them to call. You will make mistakes. You will act irrationally. You will fall in love. Make sure he's not married to someone else. Give second chances, but stop there. You can't change anybody, anybody's values or anybody's upbringing. It is what it is.

Your risks: Every once in a while, do something daring. Say no. Explore. Switch your path. Change it up. Do something out of the ordinary and unexpected. It may be hard but it could lead to something great. Try it. 

See? I told you. Pretty sweet.