It is a widely recognised fact that the phenomenally popular 90s TV show FRIENDS has shaped most of popular culture as we know it. This is for many reasons including some of the most popular comedy catchphrases of all time (“how you doin’?” “We were on a break”), some of the most cringe-worthy yet scarily realistic situations the characters find themselves in and, most importantly, a group of six people who we have all come to love so very dearly.
Here are just a few of the life lessons we have to thank them for:
1. Humans are like lobsters.
Always a good point to remember; lobsters fall in love and mate for life. Therefore, when the dating scene seems a bit hopeless, never give up on the idea that you can find your one true love and life happily together claw-in-claw.
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2. ‘We were on a break’ is not a valid excuse for cheating.
As much as Ross tried to use this excuse for his one-night tryst with the Xerox girl, cheating really has never been ok and probably never will be unless monogamy truly evaporates forever.
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3. There is a way your friends can help you if you get stung by a jellyfish.
Oh yes, if that terrible moment comes and you are stung by one of these nasty sea-critters, one of the best ways to relieve the excruciating pain is by having one of your friends pee on the wound. In this particular case, Chandler was the one that stepped up to the plate for Monica. Maybe that’s what made her fall in love with him?
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4. Never invite an ex to your wedding.
Saying your ex’s name at the altar is never going to be a good thing, let alone if she’s sat in the audience in the case of Ross and his marriage to Emily in season 4.
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5. Not everything can be moved with a ‘pivot’ motion.
“Pivot… pivvvvooott… peeeevvvaaaattt”. What a memorable Ross quote this is but sadly not a theory that always works, especially in the case of Ross’s sofa.
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6. There is no point in keeping secrets from your friends.
Your friends will always find out your secrets in the end so it’s probably not even worth trying to hide anything important like Monica and Chandler when they first became a couple. That will save you a few awkward situations…
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7. Never join a gym unless you are absolutely sure about it.
As FRIENDS so very accurately pointed out in season 4, quitting any gym anywhere is basically impossible due to the special offers and attractive employees that they bring out when you try. Therefore you should always make sure that it is something you are going to want to stick to for the long run if you decide to join.
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8. Don’t wear leather when it’s hot.
Long story short: leather shrinks in the heat. A fact that was ever so perfectly pointed out by Ross in series 5 when he wore leather pants on his first date post-divorce.
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9. What happens in Vegas, doesn’t always stay in Vegas.
As much as this is a great saying it isn’t necessarily true if you get drunk and marry your ex a la Ross and Rachel season 5. So be very careful not to get so drunk you might go that far.
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10. Friends are your chosen family.
… So treaure them and don’t try to change them (too much).
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