Stars hollow meets the swamp

Swasthi Maharaj
13 hours ago
3 min read

Gilmore Girls teaches us the importance of community, friendship, and the places we inhabit

By: Swasthi Maharaj

In October 2000, the TV series Gilmore Girls premiered, introducing viewers to the fast-talking, fierce mother-daughter duo Lorelai and Rory Gilmore and Stars Hollow - the fictional Connecticut town. The series quickly distinguished itself from others through rapid-fire dialogue, witty rhetoric blending humor with pathos, and a nuanced portrayal of family, ambition, community and love.

Over its 25 years, the show has continued to capture the audience’s appeal for more reasons than just nostalgia. Stars Hollow’s genius arguably lies in its dual narrative; it’s a celebration of community and simultaneously an exposé of the emotional costs of finding and maintaining a feeling of belonging in a life that keeps changing.

Gainesville potentially comes with the same feeling. Similar to Stars Hollow, it’s more of a feeling than a place, woven into life throughout campus, from local coffee shops to music venues and everything in-between.

As Gainesville embraces a cold front, one of the best stages of Florida fall, Rowdy decided to give the characters a change of location. In doing so, we’re reminding you that, with Thanksgiving getting closer, we have a lot to be grateful for in our own town.

Here’s where each Gilmore Girls character would spend most of their time in The Swamp.

Lorelai Gilmore:

Coffee, coffee, coffee!

What is Lorelai without a good cup of coffee? She would likely instantly gravitate to a local coffeeshop like Pascal’s, having long chats with baristas and embracing the privilege? Freedom? to take a phone call inside the building.

Rory Gilmore:

Who cares if I’m pretty if I fail my finals?

Rory thrives on ambition, so it’s no surprise she would be drawn to UF’s library system, likely finding a Smathers Grand Reading Room, nose deep in an old book.

Luke Danes:

It’s so good to have someone to share this hate with

Luke would probably be found strolling around Depot Park along the Hawthorne Trail in-between coffee dates with Lorelai.

Sookie St. James:

That critic didn’t even taste my risotto!

Sookie would love visiting Jackson’s stall at the Haille’s Farmer’s Market on Saturdays, weaving through piles of fresh produce with a grin while plotting her next masterpiece.

Emily and Richard Gilmore:

I’m looking up ‘aneurysm’ in our medical dictionary to see if I just had one

They would likely be found at the Hippodrome Theatre or UF Performing Arts on Friday and Saturday nights, dressed impeccably with programs in hand, savoring the ritual of live performance.

Lane Kim:

Eternal damnation is what I’m risking for my rock and roll

Lane would be found living her best life at Sunshine Records, headphones on, vinyl spinning, drumsets ready in the backrooms. As a UF student, she’d probably be a member of Swamp Records, sharing her passion for music with the school community.

Kirk:

I’ve been working for 11 years, Luke. I’ve had 15,000 jobs.

Being realistic - you would not be able to escape him. He’d be working every store and TAing for every class.

Gilmore Girls maintains its image as not a show about a town but one about the people who inhabit it. Whether it’s Stars Hollow or Gainesville, the Gilmore's remind us that a sense of place and the people in it matter more than we sometimes realize - and we hope this reminded you of the charm of our own college town.

Swasthi is a lover of fall, Gilmore Girls and everything cosy.