Gilmore Girls is a TV show featuring the life of a very driven teenager, Rory Gilmore and her mother, Lorelai Gilmore who live in a Connecticut town called Stars Hollow.
The show premiered on Oct. 5th, 2000 and is still streaming on various platforms such as Netflix, Hulu, YouTube and various other streaming services.
The TV show mainly features Rory’s tendency to be an overachiever when it comes to school. Rory participates in various clubs, was valedictorian of her high school and attended the prestigious college, Yale University.
“From the beginning, when Rory talks about dream colleges and just how much she’s willing to work for it and how much she wants it, it’s very inspiring,” Cora Boschen, sophomore, said.
The emphasis the series puts on the importance of school and academic life can influence and push viewers, who are typically teenagers, to do the same.
“I think seeing people reach their goals and talk about making achievements makes me want to work harder,” Boschen said.
The production has shown to be timeless, considering it is still popular 25 years after its debut and this may be due to the influence social media has had in recent years.
“Twenty years later, there are articles, opinions and arguments coming from fans who weren’t even alive when the show first aired. This perspective sheds light on these characters in a deeper sense, allowing fans to go back and thoroughly analyze plot lines, writing choices and characters,” Daily Collegian said.
Gilmore Girls remains in the spotlight as it is also seen on platforms like Tik Tok and now is notorious for being part of an “aesthetic”.
“As a teenager who has social media, I often see videos about the “Rory Gilmore aesthetic” which romanticizes studying specially in the fall term,” June Okada, sophomore, said.
Usually consuming media has a negative connotation strongly associated with detrimental impacts on physical and mental health. But in this case, social media is becoming a positive influence.
“Some of my friends said that after watching Gilmore Girls they were motivated to dedicate more time to their assignments and overall try harder in school,” Okada said.
Watching a series featuring an academically driven student can influence viewers to have similar tendencies and pick up the same habits.
“Ever since I was little, Gilmore Girls motivated me to pour hard work and dedication into my schoolwork with every assignment.” Nancy Casanova, sophomore, said. “Seeing how much Rory could achieve made me think her work style could be beneficial for me!”
Excelling in school takes time and dedication. Students can be commonly seen with homework piled high and many after school activities, so slacking simply is not an option.
“Gilmore Girls has taught me the importance of doing schoolwork and avoiding procrastination,” Boschen said, “I think seeing her dedication pay off shows how vital staying true to yourself and becoming educated is.”
Not only does Rory excel when it comes to her education, but also when it comes to balancing school and her social life. She’s commonly seen hanging out with her friends and family while still prioritizing her academics.
“It’s encouraging seeing someone like Rory, who is focused on school, also favors her social life and her friends around her,” Okada said.
