Lesson #14: Never Hide Things From Your Friends

Never try to hide things from your friends, because they will find out eventually. Your friends are your support system, and while they may not agree with everything you choose to do, they will always be there for you when you need them.  I know for a fact that I would not be where I am today without the love and support of my friends throughout the years. I think that keeping secrets from anyone, especially the people you're close to, is extremely stressful. At least for me, I know I always feel much better when I have everything out in the open.

When Monica and Chandler first started seeing each other, they went to great lengths to keep their relationship a secret from their friends. After getting together at Ross's wedding, the two of them sneak around and make excuses for their behavior. For example, when Chandler accidentally kisses Monica in front of the group, he then goes around and kisses Rachel and Phoebe to try to cover it up.

They also lie about what they're doing in order to spend time together. In the beginning of their relationship, they tell their friends that they both have conferences for work that they have to attend over the weekend. They also sneak away together under the guise of "doing laundry." However, they only manage to keep their big secret for so long before the gang starts finding out. Joey is the first one to know when he realizes the two took a trip together.

Chandler and Monica swear Joey to secrecy, and he reluctantly agree. The couple continue to see each other in secret, but it's only a matter of time before Rachel finds out when she hears the two talking on the phone together. When she tries to subtly confront Monica and Monica denies having any new relationship in her life, Rachel decides to pretend that she doesn't know. Phoebe finds out about Chandler and Monica when she and Rachel go to check out Ugly Naked Guy's apartment and sees the two kissing from the window. 

When Joey, Phoebe, and Rachel get together to talk about the fact that they all know about Monica and Chandler's relationship, Phoebe suggests that they mess with them a little bit before they tell them that they know. Phoebe decides to try act like she's trying to seduce Chandler in an elaborate scheme that culminates in a standoff between Chandler and Phoebe to see which one will crack first.

The whole fiasco ends in Chanler admitting to everyone (including to Monica for the first time) that he is in love with Monica. Well, almost everyone, because Ross is the last one of the friends to find out about his best friend dating his sister. He finds out later that same episode in the same way that Phoebe found out, but maybe doesn't take it quite as well.

Although Ross is angry at first, he eventually cools off when Chandler explains that they're not just hooking up but that he really cares deeply for Monica. In the end, Chandler and Monica find that they're actually relieved to have their relationship in the open and that they don't have to sneak around anymore. They finally have the support of their friends and they are free to openly be with each other.

Media courtesy of (in order of appearance):

• The One With The Friends
• Oh No They Didn't!
• Pinterest
• Head Over Feels
• Bustle

Lesson #13: Maybe Valentine's Day Isn't So Bad?

Valentine's Day is one holiday that people love to hate. I've heard countless people say that it's an over-commercialized, Hallmark holiday that instead of focusing on love and relationships puts an emphasis on money and material objects. Shoot, I've even said some of those things. It seems like as soon as we hit February 1st we're bombarded by advertisements for romantic dates and heart-shaped diamond necklaces. Even worse, we see commercials attempting to console all of the "poor single people" by capitalizing on the feelings of loneliness Valentine's Day perpetuates (have you seen Dairy Queen's new Singles Blizzard?). But, if I'm being completely honest, maybe Valentine's Day isn't so bad. I mean, if you look past all of the commercialized pressure to get a date, it's really just a holiday that celebrates love, and couldn't we all use a little bit more love in our lives?

There have been a few Friends episodes that center around Valentine's Day, and although there are usually a few mishaps (bad dates, mistaken hookups, house fires), the core message is still there: you don't need romantic love to celebrate Valentine's Day. You just need some good friends by your side.

Take, for instance, the Valentine's Day that Joey spent alone, depressed, and wishing he could be with Rachel (whom he was in love with at the time). He was completely distraught over the fact that he couldn't be with the woman he loved on Valentine's Day and the likelihood that he would never get to be with her. 

Phoebe, in an attempt to help him get over Rachel, brings Joey "the happiest dog in the world" to cheer him up. Joey nicknames the dog Mozzarella and begins playing with him, but eventually ends up pouring out his feelings to the dog. 

Joey eventually tells Ross about his feelings for Rachel. Ross, although he is initially upset due to his past relationship with Rachel, tells Joey to go for it. He tells Joey that even if he feels weird about it, he cares more about their friendship and wants Joey to be happy.

Another example of non-traditional Valentine's love is the year that Monica, Rachel, and Phoebe decided to have a "boyfriend bonfire" in Monica's living room. As Monica and Rachel compare boyfriend horror stories and lament over the fact that they're "magnets" for jerks, Phoebe tells them about a cleansing ritual to break the bad boyfriend cycle. The three of them decide to burn mementos from past relationships on Valentine's Day the next night.

However, thinks go south when Rachel pours in the last of Paolo's grappa, which is highly flammable. The trio ends up having to call the fire department, who sends out three young, attractive firemen to help them. These firemen tell them that this isn't the first boyfriend bonfire they've seen go wrong and that Valentine's Day is actually their busiest day of the year.

This may not have been the end to the night that the girls were hoping for, but I think that it certainly proves that Valentine's Day doesn't completely suck. 

Images courtesy of (in order of appearance):

• Odyssey
• F.R.I.E.N.D.S. Screen Caps
• Head Over Feels
• Giphy via Netflix
• Playbuzz

Lesson #12: Karma's a ______

We've all heard the saying "what goes around comes around" (and we've all definitely heard JT's classic song about it). I personally am a firm believer karma; I think that every action has a consequence and that we should always try to be aware of that. I like to think of it as a credit/debit kind of thing: if you do good and put good energy out there, then you're sort of making a deposit into the universe and it'll pay you back. But, by the same token, if you're "bad", then you're withdrawing from the universe and you owe it a debt, and it will be sure to collect. I know that sounds pretty cheesy but I really do believe that things have a way of balancing themselves out in the end.

One of the absolute best illustrations of karma I can think of occurred in season 2 of Friends when Chandler is reunited with his fourth grade classmate Susie Moss on the set of a movie that she is doing hair and makeup for. The two begin to catch up and Susie reminds Chandler of the time during their fourth grade play when he lifted up her skirt in front of the whole auditorium (note: foreshadowing). Chandler nervously apologizes, saying that he used to use humor as a defense mechanism.

Chandler eventually asks Susie out to dinner and that night the two of them meet at his apartment beforehand. Before they leave for the restaurant, Susie asks Chandler if he's ever worn women's underwear and tells him it would be "kind of sexy" if he were to wear hers at dinner. Chandler agrees to do it and during dinner the two sneak off to the men's room. Susie tells Chandler to take off everything but the underwear and when he does so, she takes all of his clothes and runs out. When he asks her what's going on, she responds, "This is for the fourth grade."

She tells Chandler that kids called her "Susie Underpants" until she was 18 years old. When Chandler asks her how she could still be upset about something that happened in the fourth grade, she responds by telling him to call her in 20 years and tell her if he's still upset about this (coincidentally, that day was exactly one week ago from today).

Eventually Joey and Ross enter the bathroom to find Chandler hiding in a stall. Chandler asks them for help but eventually walks out using the stall door in an attempt to cover himself up. 

So, long story short folks, be aware of the actions you take and how they might affect others, because karma really can be a ______.

Images and video courtesy of (in order of appearance):

• NBC/via Netflix
• blackinfire
• mashable