5 Things Leslie Knope has taught me
After years of consciously denying the social norms and avoiding watching Parks and Rec, I finally decided to bite the bullet. As I settled into the couch with mediocre expectations and kombucha in hand, I thought about all of the Ron Swanson memes that were at one point clogging my Pinterest timeline. I prayed that the hype was worth it.
It was.
The series, created by the execs who brought us The Office, holds the same witty humor with slightly less cringe. The characters of Parks and Rec each have their own quirks and jazzy personalities: Ron is the macho man, Tom is the comedian, Jerry is the disappointment. And who is the spunky blonde who surpasses them all with her blatant positivity and pantsuits? That’d be Leslie Knope.
So, without further introduction, here are 5 things Leslie Barbara Knope has taught me.
1. Passion gets you places.
Leslie’s passion for serving the community is unmatched in her department, to the extent that it’s annoying. But hey, Leslie gets it done.
2. Strong female friendships are actually the best.
Who does Leslie turn to when she’s having boy problems? When she needs a confidence boost? When she just wants to hangout and eat waffles? Her brunette best friend Ann, of course! Leslie and Ann met through a community parks forum and haven’t stopped hanging out since, giving us one of the cutest female friendships since Rachel and Monica.
3. Never let men intimidate you.
With a boss like Ron Swanson who “doesn’t believe in government,” and naturally opposes most initiatives, his coworkers are easily intimidated. Of course, this does not apply to Leslie. She doesn’t let Ron’s bushy mustache get in the way of her goals and keeps striving and thriving. She is motivated for the sake of women everywhere, and has a collection of pictures of strong female leaders to prove it.
4. We should actually care about our community.
Once again, Knope’s passion is unmatched. She makes me want to attend community forums and petition for more parks.
5. Women are F U N N Y.
Of course I knew this before, but Leslie Knope is funny. Amy Poehler is a comedic genius and Leslie Knope is a goddess of humor. If anyone ever tries to tell you that women just aren’t as funny as men, please kindly refer them to Leslie Knope.
Thank you, Leslie.
