It was 25 years ago this month that the TV sitcom "Friends" began. I was just starting my junior year of high school and remember word spreading among my class about the great new show. And by "word spreading" I mean like actually talking face-to-face with each other – there was no Facebook or texting back then! Friends ended in 2004 so I watched it from my home in Massachusetts to my Syracuse University dorm room to my first New York City apartment.
Last month, I celebrated my own anniversary of moving to New York City 20 years ago. My initial experiences living in New York City were nothing like on "Friends" since I didn't have Monica's grandmother leaving me a spacious apartment in a prime neighborhood. My reality was living in a railroad apartment (with no purple door!) with a few mice "friends" and barely making my rent with my entry-level job. But I did have a wonderful group of friends who saw me through those early years in the city and still do today. Just like on the show, we saw each other through the highs and lows of life in the city... multiple apartments, dates, jobs, haircuts, and pets (but sadly no ducks!). We have our own personal stories of being great friends in the big city.
I recently went to the Friends New York City Pop-Up that is here for a few weeks to celebrate the 25th anniversary. A wall of Friends-isms made me remember all the great lines from the show – "we were on a break", "oh. my. gawd", and "she's your lobster". It was fun to 'pivot' Ross's couch, poke my head through the purple door, relax on Joey and Chandler's recliners, and have a coffee at Central Perk – too bad Gunther wasn't there!