It all started with “Sex and the City,” as we watched Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha navigate their way through their 30s (and consequent midlife crises), contemplating love and careers. We took quizzes to tell us which protagonist we were most like, and when someone tried to tell us we were a different character, we became forcefully defensive (No, roommates, I am most definitely a Carrie, NOT a Charlotte).
Then, we were introduced to the world of “Girls,” where Hannah, Marnie, Shoshanna and Jessa took us on the journey of a debt-ridden millennial trying to make a difference in the world. We quickly learned that Carrie Bradshaw’s glamorous life of Louboutins and fashion shows was probably not in our near future, and that we instead had confusing taxes and endless job interviews waiting for us after graduation.
And now, we have Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer, the stars of “Broad City,” a show that again documents the lives of best friends trying to get their lives together in what Comedy Central calls an “odd-couple comedy.” “Broad City” has skyrocketed from cult-classic to mainstream favorite, evident right here on campus in the massive popularity of “Broad U,” a themed night on Sept. 12 when Abbi and Ilana came to BU on for a question and answer session with BU students. And there’s a reason we should still be discussing the event even almost a month after it took place.
It may seem as if the intense popularity of these shows, all of which center around female friendships, is due to creators capitalizing on an overused theme in television, guaranteed to draw in a young, female audience.
But I think shows like “Broad City” are so popular for a different reason: the importance of these relationships.
Right now, I am in my second year of college, which means that I somehow survived the craziness of freshman year. BU is not close to home for me, and all of my close friends from high school are dispersed all over the country. Looking back at where I was last semester, I can truly say that my friendships with other women were a major factor in my success, and probably the reason I decided to stay at BU.
I was homesick. Majorly homesick.
There were times where I wanted to just give up, book the next train and transfer to my state university. Gradually, however, things got better. I started to become friendly with some girls on my floor, and most of them were going through the same thing. We bonded in the dining hall over how much we missed our moms, our pets, our other friends and the comforts of our own houses. Soon, these girls became a major focal point in my life.
When I was sick, my friends brought dinner to my bed. They told me which cold medicine they thought was better and let me take their boxes of tissues when I had run out. We gave each other advice, and made sure each other was safe. Every time we all left to go on school breaks, we would text each other once our train had arrived or our plane had landed. If ever something was wrong, I knew I had multiple doors to knock on, even if I just needed to stop in for a good hug.
My friends from home and I would keep each other updated on our daily lives. We would reassure each other that we only had a few more weeks until we got to reunite, and I can’t count how many emergency Skype sessions we all took part in.
I’m not saying that other friendships are less valid. Maybe for some people, the relationships they have with someone of a different gender are more valuable. But the reason why shows like “Broad City” keep succeeding is because we all know what it’s like to be completely lost and to realize that our girlfriends are the only ones who can tell us that it’s going to be okay.
I can see myself in Abbi and Ilana, and I can see myself facing the same problems, however minuscule or hefty they may be. I can’t lie and say that I’m not afraid of the future. Afraid that I’ll never pay off my student loans or that I’ll never find someone to marry or that I’ll never really know how to invest in the stock market. But through it all, I do know that I’ll have my girlfriends there with me to make mistakes with, and to make sure I don’t go through one single day without laughing.
The girls in my life embrace my imperfections and keep me grounded, and I am eternally grateful and excited to see where the world take us. Hopefully, though, it won’t take us on a wild goose chase through New York to find a missing iPhone — that I could do without.
