The SATC effect... !

This article is based on one of my favorite shows of all time... Sex and the City. For the uninitiated, this is an American television series aired in the 90's and it is about four female New Yorkers who gossip about their love (and sex) lives and find new ways to deal with being a woman in the 90s.

When the show used to air, I was a school-girl and I remember catching random episodes of it on HBO while flicking through channels. The bold depiction of sex and nudity on television was a big deal for me at a time when we were mostly alternating between animation and Hindi serials. After going to college, I had a chance to watch the complete series (it had ended airing by then) and I have always been attracted to it.

For a girl growing up in India, a life as depicted in SATC was like an alternate universe. By Indian standards, I grew up in a fairly liberal family where partying/drinking/having a boyfriend was not frowned upon (as long as it was within limits). But the world of Carrie Bradshaw was a different universe altogether. The fashion, the lifestyle and the relationships depicted were something that I wanted (and as I discovered later, so did many of my girlfriends). I longed to have a carefree and bustling social life where every evening was a party and every day was an opportunity to meet Prince Charming. The series made me want to stay in New York city and be "one of the girls".

Now I know that it is only a work of fiction and life is not all strutting down Fifth Avenue but I still enjoy watching a random episode and escaping into its alternate world. And over the years, here are a few things that SATC taught me:

1. Carrie taught me that it is worth waiting for "Mr. Big". Sure it may take years and many heartbreaks but the final payoff is worth it. Anyone else is just settling. It may seem like a difficult and tiring task and you might want to take an easy option out, but it will not be the same thing. Of course she is known as a fashion icon and she was one of my earliest inspirations for wanting to be a fashion designer.
2. Charlotte taught me the importance of compromising when you know someone is right for you. Changing your religion for somebody is a big deal and she proved that love is a bigger deal. She also taught me that some dreams cannot be given up for anyone and when you realize that, you have to make a hard choice.
3. Miranda taught me that career is as important as relationships and being a woman does not mean you have to automatically focus less on your career. And when it feels right, it is also okay to cut down on your work. Another thing she showed is that sometimes the toughest people are the most vulnerable and it takes the right person to bring out that vulnerability.
4. Samantha taught me being yourself is the most important thing and never to let anyone convince you otherwise. Throughout the series, one thing that never changed was her indomitable confidence and spirit. A lot of time people around us try to convince us that we need to change. But the important thing to realize is that change is not always for the better and we should never stop being ourselves.
5. The most important thing that I learnt from this series is the importance of friendship. It is okay to have three or four close friends... you don't need to be a social butterfly and have a hundred friends. I loved how the girls were always there for each other, sometimes without judgement and sometimes the reality check they needed. So for all the ladies, keep your boyfriends close but your girlfriends closer!

This article is dedicated to my girlfriends, the ones who know all the secrets and have shared my

best and worst times. The ones who might be miles apart but only a phone-call away.