10 Life Lessons I've Learned from Leslie Knope

One thing that will become painfully obvious about me should you try to engage me in a conversation about Netflix is that I don’t watch very much television. I have never really been a big television watcher, which is not always the easiest thing to talk about because it makes you sound a little bit pretentious. But pretentious or not, it is the truth, and my main form of television has come from YouTube, John Oliver clips, and the random episode of Chopped or Blue Planet.

However, there is one television series I do watch, and recommend, which is Parks and

Recreation. I started watching during what is for many is a classic age of television, my 1st co-op.

I started this show after seeing a poster of Ron Swanson and thinking it was funny and wanting to know the source, and having seen my roommates watch the 6th season my sophomore year. Although the first couple episodes were not life-changing, they made me laugh, and so I kept watching.

And watching.

After about a month, I had finished the first 5 seasons, which I know is a time period regular Netflix bingers would laugh at. But you have to understand that for me, I had literally never watched more than one episode of a television program at a time. It was a powerful experience.

Powerful, and, I am only slightly embarrassed to say, emotional. Oh, how I laughed, and how I cried while watching Parks and Rec. I have not actually finished the series- I still have about 3 episodes left. This is partially because I am much busier now, but mostly because I cannot stand the emotional strain it will put on me.

Emily from the old days would have been mortified to cite a television character as inspirational (ok, maybe I am a little pretentious), but after seeing Leslie Knope, the spunky protagonist, live and love over so many episodes, I must admit that I find her a really excellent role model for any woman (or man) looking to make a difference.

And so here I outline the top life lessons I have seen her emulate and long to express in my own life:

Creative Compliments are a must: Particularly when talking to her best friend Ann Perkins, Leslie deploys what some might call “interesting” and some might call “scary” compliments. As someone who is constantly telling my roommates I would like to cover them in cinnamon sugar, wrap them in pastry, and stick them in the oven at 350 degrees, I am in favor of the over-zealous compliments.
Speak your mind: Whether it is taking other people’s ideas and making them better, or just not liking salad, Leslie is not afraid of her own opinions or of sharing them. Even if her ideas are controversial, or some people want to keep her quiet, she does not back down.
Don’t let the patriarchy keep you down: As Leslie so eloquently says in one episode, “Men’s Rights are Nothing”. But really, it can be hard for a women in government, or a women in science, or a woman anywhere, or for oppressed people anywhere, to keep their chins up when so many forces conspire against us. Leslie shatters glass ceilings day after day and doesn’t let anyones preconceived notions of what she can and cannot do get in the way of anything she wants to accomplish.
Stand up for what you believe in: Everything Leslie does is driven by her values- she cares about national parks, the government, her friends, etc. She cares so much. Remember when caring wasn’t cool? Guess what- whoever said that is stupid. Caring is so, so cool.
Never skip breakfast: The mystery still remains- why would anyone eat anything besides breakfast foods?
Love obviously: Leslie is not afraid to hug, to use nicknames, to cry at a friend’s accomplishment, buy the best gifts, or do all at the same time. Don’t be afraid to show the people you care about how much they mean to you.
Always assume best intentions: Even when the world gets her down, Leslie always bounces back. Her positivity eventually deflects the negativity of others even in the most extreme cases. Sometimes, people are out to get her. But sometimes, they are just misinformed.
Never give up: NEVER.
Work so hard that people around you don’t know how you do it: A staple of Parks and Rec is Leslie pulling out an enormous personalized binder for an specific occasion when there is no way she actually had time to create it. Maybe that might be a hard bar to reach, but that is no reason to not try. Hard work gets things done.