9 Things We’ve Learned from TV’s Besties

What makes a TV show great? If you said its theme song, you aren’t wrong. But strong relationships are also key—especially a great BFF pairing. There’s nothing like watching a TV friendship blossom and falling in love with the dynamic, or better yet, totally relating to it. The truest friendships on TV may be—technically—fake, but they’ve still taught us a lot about relationships. Because we’re always celebrating all things BFF, here are some important life lessons we’ve learned from the best friendships on TV.

1. Always Make Time to Laugh

Lucy and Ethel were always getting into something together, and at the end of it, they were howling with laughter—the kind of snort-inducing belly laughter reserved for best friends. They knew how to have fun, and always left you with that “I wish I was friends with those girls” feeling, despite the fact that they were characters on a television show.

2. No Matter How Much Time Passes, They’ll be There for You

Do you have a friend you don’t keep in touch with as much as you’d like to, but the second you get her on the phone, it’s like no time passed at all? One minute Monica wasn’t invited to Rachel’s wedding, and the next she welcomed Rachel into her apartment and her life, where she proceeded to stay for the next ten seasons. Very cool.

3. Choose Love over Envy

Mary and Rhoda started out as rivals (Rhoda wanted Mary’s apartment), but they quickly became friends, and one of our favorite duos on TV. Jealousy is an easy emotion to feel when something good happens for a friend, but it isn’t constructive. Instead, it’s more rewarding to be happy and supportive. True besties will do the same for you when it’s your turn to celebrate a win.

4. Always be Loyal

Has there ever been a more loyal duo than Cory and Shawn? Cory and Topanga were the couple on Boy Meets World, but Cory and Shawn were the real romance. And they took loyalty and friendship very seriously.

5. It’s Okay to Fight

When Meredith and Cristina do anything on Grey’s Anatomy, they do it authentically—including fighting. Think about your romantic relationships: sometimes things build to a certain point. Have a healthy fight, just don’t let it get to the point where things explode. If you can’t talk things out with your besties, who can you talk to?

6. When You Have Each Other, That’s All That Matters

Charlotte summed it up nicely: having a best friend(s) is pretty darn special.

7. Own Your Quirks

Every bestie duo/group has their thing. If yours is building forts, build the coolest fort possible. If it’s writing and acting out Harry Potter fan fiction, can I watch? Never be ashamed of the kickass time you’re having with your friends, because your quirks are what makes your friendship so rare and special. Yeah!

8. True Friendship Doesn’t Age

Someday, I hope to live in a house on the beach with my best girlfriends and always be on with my jokes and observations. The Golden Girls showed us you can find true friendship at any age, and if you’re lucky, it will last a lifetime.

9. It’s Okay to Have More Than One Best Friend

Maybe you have one best friend for life, and you haven’t washed your right wrist since fourth grade to preserve your friendship bracelets. But chances are, as you’ve grown older, you’ve made a variety of best friends from wherever life has taken you. Some are old and some are new, but they all embody the word “best” in a different way, which makes them all special.

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