4 Lessons Reality TV Has Taught Me

As a person who spends a lot of their time indulging in reality TV shows, people usually think I’m crazy or that I have nothing better to do than watch 11 seasons of restaurant workers arguing with each other. But in reality (no pun intended), being a young girl watching these shows has taught me many valuable lessons.

Survivor is a show where timing matters more than loyalty. Playing too hard too early is the biggest mistake you can make in the game. The best players aren’t the ones that are the strongest or the loudest but are the ones that know when to stay quiet, when to make a move, and when to let somebody else take the spotlight. Watching players make these mistakes not only makes me want to yell at them through the TV screen but also reminds me about patience and self-awareness. Survival isn’t about constant action but about knowing when to wait.

I think everyone has experienced that moment in life where you think to yourself, “Why did I ever trust that person?” or “Why did I ever think I could change them?” Well, Vanderpump Rules has you thinking that for the entire 11 seasons. When your friend group is built on lying, cheating, and pretending nothing happened, it will eventually explode. During which the women will be forced to move on and be the bigger person while the men get redemption arcs for doing the bare minimum.

I used to think effort guaranteed success, but I’ve learned that being right doesn’t matter if people don’t like you. Every season of Big Brother, there is someone who thinks they're playing the smartest game in the house, but they're winning competitions, clocking everyone’s moves, and narrating their own strategy, only to be blindsided because no one actually liked them. The players who end up going far in the game are the ones who are able to blend in and make other people feel comfortable even when they are lying right to their face. Watching Big Brother feels like watching a social experiment where emotional intelligence matters more than logic, which is slightly terrifying yet fascinating.

My last lesson, or more so my favorite one, is the importance of female friendships. The friendship between Paige, Amanda, and Ciara on Summer House is one that will last lifetimes. No matter how hard the summer’s activities or relationship problems got, these three always stuck by each other, providing support, advice, and love for one another. After seeing this friendship play out, it made me more conscious of the female friends in my life and how I strive to be as good of a friend as these three are to each other.

I think the reason reality TV has stuck with me is that it mirrors real life a little too well. Watching these shows has taught me about loyalty, timing, friendships, and how people operate when emotions are high. I might not have everything figured out, but at least I’ve learned that how you treat people and when you choose to speak up or stay quiet matters more than winning.