In my opinion, FRIENDS is one of the most iconic shows to come out of the early 2000s. From the endless fashion inspiration to the hilarious moments that leave you laughing on the floor, FRIENDS has easily become one of my comfort shows. I could not imagine not being able to see Ross yell pivot or seeing Chandler and Joey lose the baby on the bus again. With application season being upon us, I thought it was only fitting to explain why I think some of our local South Carolina colleges would be the perfect match for these FRIENDS characters. 

Starting strong, who can disagree, Monica and the Citadel both run a tight ship. From a shared importance of cleanliness and order, these two seem to be the perfect pair. And Monica is always dressed super chic, so I have a good feeling she would rock the uniform look of the Citadel. We have already seen Monica’s toughness after the football game from the Thanksgiving episode from the third season, so I know she would be able to handle any drills they threw her way. We know Monica will do anything to win the Geller Cup Trophy, well until Mrs. Gellar told her and Ross that they could not play anymore because of how competitive they were. In fact, I think she may even be the drill sergeant, seeing how she can already command a kitchen.  

Now no one can deny that Rachel is the bubbly and stylish friend, and that is exactly how I would describe Clemson. The first time I stepped onto Clemson’s campus, I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the campus (especially the Cooper Library Fountain), much like Ross being overwhelmed by Rachel’s beauty every time she walked in the room. I mean who can forget the first time we ever saw Rachel running into the coffee shop from the rain in her wedding dress (poor Barry). 

 Speaking of Ross, it seems only right we do him next. If I were to pick just one school that shared the essence of Ross Geller, it would have to be USC Columbia. According to EduRank, USC Columbia is the best paleontology school in South Carolina, so it does not seem too far of a stretch to assume Ross would enjoy it too. Not to mention, the beautiful brick architecture and amazon green space seem to scream Ross Geller to me. And on top of all that, what better way to describe the rivalry between Clemson and USC than through Ross and Rachel’s constant bickering, especially when they WERE ON A BREAK. 

And of course we can not forget about everyone’s favorite character, or at least mine, Chandler Bing (Rest In Peace Matthew Perry). From the get go, Chandler was established as the dry comic relief and reliable friend. His jokes never failed to make me cackle, and his awkward behavior was somewhat adorable. So what better school to match the vibe than College of Charleston. These two both share a fun and relatable personality with a little extra glitter (whether that be the beautiful place that is Charleston, SC or Chandler’s ability to always hit the punch line).

Next up we have Joey, the Italian actor and famed Dr. Drake Ramoray of Days of Our Lives with an extreme love for meatball sandwiches. This lovable goofball is no other than Coastal Carolina. Now I must admit, I did not know much about Coastal Carolina, but after a little research, I can safely say that both Joey and Coastal share a fun and lovable personality. Personally, I think Joey would learn just as much (probably more) from attending Coastal Carolina as he did from the “V” encyclopedia. And hopefully he will learn to start saying “moot point”, you aren’t a cow Joey.

Now this next character came at the request of our very own Mrs. Frazier. Hint: she is an amazing masseuse, has a bit of a hippie style, and writes the best songs about cats. I hope you guessed that our next character is Phoebe. She said that, in her opinion, Phoebe would thrive at Winthrop. Being an alumni herself, I have to say I trust her instincts. Though Phoebe never got the chance to attend college, I feel she would have thrived at Winthrop with their dedication to blend global awareness and civic engagement with higher education. Though I think her first issue to address would be to stop thumbs from ending up in her soda. 

Next up we are gonna be straying from the core five friends and talk about Richard next. For those reading who are not avid FRIENDS watchers, Richard is Monica’s father’s best friend who she ends up dating in the second season. Now when I think of what college Richard would attend in South Carolina, Furman seems to be the perfect answer. From the classic aesthetic of the campus to the beautiful architecture scattered throughout the property, I can see Richard enjoying four years there as a Paladin. Also, I can see him enjoying the Pre-health major on his way to becoming an ophthalmologist.  

And for our final character, we have the ever quiet Gunther. Again for our less frequent FRIENDS watchers, Gunther works at the coffee shop (Central Perk) that all the friends often go to. Also, it grows more and more apparent throughout the seasons that Gunther has a little crush on Rachel, often longingly gazing at her. Now I can see Gunther enjoying some time at Lander University. Being so embedded in the small town of Greenwood, I think Gunther would enjoy going to all the little coffee shops and learning to perfect his latte art skills. 

Now I hope you enjoyed (and hopefully agreed) with my assumptions on where these FRIENDS characters would end up for their college years. And to anyone applying in states, maybe this gives you some insight into the vibes of some local colleges. But again, this is just one girl’s opinion! And remember, “I’ll be there for you cause  you’ll be there for me too”.