Is it that time of year again where we start to smell snow? Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham) would absolutely think so, as she and her daughter Rory (Alexis Bledel) once again take over screens during Autumn and Winter. Even after 25 years, Gilmore Girls still remains a timeless coping mechanism that turns the cold into comfort. Fans continuously envy their unhealthy yet desirable lifestyle, yearning to have those cozy movie nights surrounded by piles of takeaway boxes. Although their lives may appear aesthetic, Gilmore Girls does not entirely dismiss common issues that occur within day to day life. Ranging from academic pressure to young love, creator Amy Sherman-Palladino constructs a life where both comfort and conflict can co-exist. 

When focusing on underrepresented issues that Gilmore Girls addresses, Rory’s academic pressure is unavoidably notable. The pressure to be a perfect university applicant increases when Rory first joins Chilton. As she rushes to catch up with the previously taught content, fans can relate to how much time and dedication is mandatory when becoming the ideal candidate. Sherman-Palladino perfectly encapsulates the unexpected academic anxiety that students battle against every year. Trying to earn impossible grades, as well as extra curricular activities to be a unique applicant, causes Rory’s drive to weaken, leading to her academic downfall later in the series. Academic pressure is an extremely overlooked issue that affects young people, even more in contemporary society since requirements are becoming much more specific. 

Becoming the perfect applicant also encourages competition, causing students to create more enemies than friends. Rory’s academic rival Paris Geller (Liza Weil), who strives to be the ultimate Harvard candidate, mirrors the misery behind competition. Paris torments Rory at any given opportunity to reduce competition, causing her dedication to feel somewhat inhuman. The idea of such young students competing against one another in order to earn a position at their desired universities is exhausting. Although, she becomes a much more complex and loveable character in later seasons, her demonstration of academic rivalry focuses attention on how students evolve their lives around meeting nearly impossible standards. An entire life plan can easily be ruined by a rejection letter or email, highlighting the true power that academics can have over one’s life. 

Grades and school life are a large factor within the show’s realism, but not as significant as the relationships that come and go as the Gilmore Girls grow. Rory in particular struggles to balance her career goals and relationships, drawing attention to Sherman-Palladino’s ability to incorporate such a realistic issue into an idolised world. Rory’s first boyfriend Dean (Jared Padalecki) does not value her career goals as much as he should. His agitation over her dream to attend Harvard is a perfect example of a suffocating relationship with no room for a career. By outlining Dean’s immaturity and self-involvement, Amy Sherman-Palladino informs her viewers that relationships without compromise will only succeed in endless arguments. Rory and Dean have a questionable relationship, but Rory’s dedication to studying is always her top priority. 

Love is a prominent and realistic topic within the lives of the Gilmore Girls, however the effect that Christopher (David Sutcliffe) and Lorelai have on Rory’s perception of love is criminally overlooked. Throughout the show, Rory’s ego leads to many failed relationships, however her situation whilst growing up is never considered in the bigger picture. Lorelai and Christopher’s relationship gets progressively more complex as the show goes on, perplexing fans on where their true feelings lie. Growing up with this confusion may have conditioned Rory to treat her romantic relationships without any hope that they may last. The impact of split-up parents is a common misconception even in contemporary society, causing Rory to be a scapegoat for her own relationships. 

Rory’s rejection of marriage is also a key aspect when considering the effect of separated parents. Commitment issues are a pivotal problem for Rory, which I believe is the main reason that she decided to reject Logan’s (Chad Michael Murray) proposal. Although there are various justifiable reasons for her rejection, one that is the least considered, and possibly most effective, is her commitment issues. Rory’s upbringing is vaguely discussed within the show, however after watching Christopher and Lorelai’s on and off relationship, we as an audience can understand why Rory rejects the idea of marriage. Her only present parental figure, who also happens to be her role model, has not given Rory a definite or moral grasp of love. Her misconception of romance only ends in cheating, lying, and uncertainty. Sherman-Palladino’s ability to end Rory and Logan’s relationship so abruptly only emphasises how much more realistic Gilmore Girls is than fans depict. 

Although fans continuously romanticise the aesthetic small town life that Rory and Lorelai share, they forget to consider the harsh reality of Gilmore Girls. Academic rivalry, the balance of relationships and studies, and parental influence are only some of the issues that Amy Sherman-Palladino addresses to reconnect fans with reality. By highlighting these problems, Gilmore Girls only becomes more enjoyable; Rory and Lorelai live in luxury but are also brought back down to earth when faced with their romantic and academic affairs. A balance of these issues draws attention to Rory and Lorelai’s desire to simply survive, highlighting a brilliant yet complex show that acknowledges how a perfect reality is entirely impossible.

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