grown~ish review

"Watch out world I'm grown now. It's about to go down." Grown-ish the spin-off of the adored show "black~ish" aired yesterday, and I must say it was a great way to bring in the new year.  The hour premiere consisted of the first two episodes; "Late Registration" which was loosely based on the 80's coming-of-age drama "Breakfast Club, and "B**** Don't Kill My Vibe, which dabbled into the fast-paced world of parties, procrastination and the famous unscheduled scheduled meet-ups with the cute guy.  So grab a snack, kick back, and chill with me. Let's go!

Like in the "Breakfast Club" we are introduced to various characters who from first glance are stereotyped, much like we are in real life. But as the show progresses we see beyond the surface and recognize them to be more relatable: the valley girl twins who have to uphold "standards" in order to be accepted,  the foreigner who comes from a hardworking family but chooses to make his own living (even if it is illegal), the lazy kid who is there only there because .... well no one really knows why he's there actually, and many more. What I truly loved was that the writers really delivered a set of characters that we, especially those of us who are in college, can relate to and if not us personally, we know of someone who possesses that similar quality and personality.  Those "six losers", Zoey, Aaron, Nomi, Jaz, Sky, Luca, and Vivek are like many of us in college, worried about how we will be perceived, not wanting to be a disappointment, scared of failure. and so forth.  But these fears and the questions we ask ourselves is what makes college an adventure, and it's even better having friends who are also on a self-pronouncing journey. 

In episode two, we get a deeper insight of the "oh so glamorous" world of college (note the sarcasm). Zoey said it within the first 10 seconds "College is a mind field. There is so much to juggle; classes, homework, and parties obviously." And often times it is hard to find your "thing " to balance it all. This episode takes a turn I honestly was not expecting, showing the usage of alcohol and drugs. Personal disclaimer: my "thing" is neither (mom) but it is not a secret that these substances exist and I'm glad that they are producing a real and authentic depiction of what college is.  We all know college comes with friends, independence, a couple of bad roommates and unfortunately procrastination. Only 13 words 2:43 am? COMPLETELY understandable. Ending up online shopping? Been there too. Of course, there are multiple steps she could have taken before popping the blue pill, but hey, who am I to judge. 

Now sliding past that let's take a brief look at the awkwardness and "stalker-ish side" we all go through in school. The "all of the sudden pop-ups". The "omg what are you doing here?". The world-renowned "Unscheduled SCHEDULED meetings" We all know what it is and have most likely done it ourselves just like Zoey. Her awkwardness around Aaron is something I felt on a personal level.  Trying to act casual. (FAIL). Not knowing when to stop talking (FAILLL). Handshake or hug or fist bump. How about all three mixed together (FAILLLLL). Seeing her struggle was not only funny but surprisingly realistic. How many of us are calm, cool, and collected when it comes to crushes??? Definitely not me. 

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the show from the characters to the situations. I loved the message at the end of just being yourself. Don't worry about the opinions of others. "DO YOU". That's honestly one of the keys to really surviving in college.  They even showed the iconic "U up" texts. I know I'm not the only one who did an eye-roll with that ending.

WOW. This brings me to the end. Thank you so much for reading! Have any comments, please let me know! Who was your favorite character? What character are you most like? Have you answered any late hang out texts?" Let me know! Leave your opinions, questions, or comments under any of my social media! See you next time when you chill with Ash!

(P.S I am lovinggg her hair and fashion sense. I can see some very Zoey inspired looks coming my way!!!)