To be a woman in your twenties is to navigate a treacherous minefield.
You don’t know who you are, who you wanna be, and you most certainly can’t afford a house (even though everyone you follow on Instagram somehow can).
Full of highs and lows and so much uncertainty, it’s hard not to feel alone and f*cking scared 24/7.
But I discovered a TV show that grabbed me like a warm hug and nestled me into its breast. It showed me so much of what I had been feeling over the last few years. It showed me my own friendship dynamics, flashes of my romantic encounters, and those feelings of uncertainty - and I LOVED it.
‘Girls’ is a TV show written and directed by Lena Dunham that first aired back in 2012. I know what some of you millennial ladies are thinking: ' Girl, you are so late to the party.’
But back in 2012, I was only 13 years old. I didn’t have the life experience OR the trauma of, say, a two-month-long situationship under my belt to even appreciate the show for what it is.
But time hasn’t made the show any less relevant; if anything, it highlights that girlhood is a universal experience regardless of the decade.
Set in New York City, the show follows Hannah Horvath, Marnie Michaels, Shoshanna Shapiro, and Jessa Johansen as they navigate the many issues most of us face throughout their 20s. (Read: what the hell am I meant to be doing, what is the purpose of my life and who the fuck am I?)
Confusing friendship dynamics, break-ups, and interactions between characters that permanently alter your brain chemistry. It feels like even the most niche experiences are portrayed with a scary amount of accuracy, and to me, proves that Lena Dunham is nothing short of a genius.
There are a bunch of iconic moments across the show's six seasons. A personal favourite is when Hannah’s Mum, Loreen, lectures Hannah about how difficult it is to be with an "odd man" after meeting her daughter's new boyfriend. It's a scene that rings true for anyone who's ever dated an enigma of a human being (and wish we were warned against it).
Or when Marnie goes back to her ex-boyfriend after a couple of years and realises that nostalgia is a dirty liar.
Or when Adam and Hannah realise that they need to break up one last time (for good) with absolutely zero dialogue, just eye contact - that made me sick to my stomach.
Admittedly, I got over the show during its final season. Mainly because *spoiler alert* Hannah gets pregnant, and my repulsion at the thought of bearing children at the age of 26 got the better of me. But it’s worth watching the full way through to see the character development and arcs change in the most relatable of ways.
So if you need a new TV show that will change how you see your life, this is the one for you. Just be prepared for the occasional cringeworthy moment that will leave you dying of embarrassment (I’m looking at you, Marnie).
