5 Important Things I Learned from Watching the TV Show Scandal

Scandal is gripping, fast paced, and full of bold enigmatic characters. If you haven’t watched it before, Scandal follows Olivia Pope and her team as she runs a crisis management firm in Washington, DC. How much drama could a couple politicians and federal workers stir up you might ask? When you mix ego, envy, pride, and corruption, a scandal will brew. That’s where Olivia Pope and Associates comes in. They shape the narrative in favor of their client. After watching the seven season rollercoaster that is this show, I wanted to share 5 important things I learned.

***No specific spoilers ahead***

1. Trust Your Gut

No matter what Olivia Pope always trusted her gut, and like 95% of the time she was right. The reason I believe this is such an important lesson is because we should trust our guts not because it’s right all of the time. We should trust our guts because we should trust ourselves. When you constantly ignore your gut, and let outside perspectives cloud your judgement, you lose faith in yourself. It didn’t matter if the odds were stacked against her, Olivia Pope always had faith in herself, and you should too. When your gut ends up being wrong, it’s okay because with time it develops and you too will be able to fully trust it just like Olivia Pope.

2. Surround Yourself With a Loyal Team

“Over a cliff” That was something Olivia’s team always told her. They would’ve done anything for her, and I mean ANYTHING for her, including following her over a cliff. We all need to find people in our lives who would do anything for us. People who would jump over a cliff for you. Just to be clear, jump figuratively not literally. Whenever I talk to anyone older than me whether it be a mentor, a professor, or an older classmate, they always tell me to surround myself with people that support and value me. This is such an important thing to remember because we all need people. We need people that can be there for our highs, lows, and when we need to hear the truth.

3. Never Let a Man Manipulate You

Olivia Pope was a very smart woman. She could hold her own, and always found some sort of way to make sure her client and her firm came out on top. Her only flaw was that she at times let men manipulate her and influence her decision-making. Especially when it came to romantic partners, I really wish she hadn’t let her guard down so much. I think part of it came from the fact that Olivia was always taking care and helping others. She leaned on to these romantic partners because she wanted a break from being the central decision maker. People were always looking to Olivia for her solutions and ideas. I don’t judge Olivia for doing this, but I want to learn from her mistakes.

4. Wear Clothes that Make You Look and Feel Good

No matter what was going on Olivia Pope always wore a good outfit. She was the type of person to invest in herself including her wardrobe. Part of the reason Olivia was so respected by the entirety of Washington is because of her intelligence, but also how she dressed. Her clothing exuded confidence, assurance, and elegance. Olivia wore very good quality luxury clothing, but she also wore clothes that fit her well. It’s important to wear clothes that fit you well, especially when it comes to pants and coats. The right pant length and arm length on a coat can really elevate a look.

5. When a Person Reveals Themself, Remember That

A lot of the scandals in Scandal could’ve been avoided or predicted if Olivia had remembered past actions by the people around her. Olivia surrounded herself with sharks, and yet she was always so shocked when she got bit.(Metaphor from the show, if you know, you know) There were so many characters in this show that were kept around Olivia’s circle even after they crossed her because they were useful in some way. It always bit her in the butt one way or another. Please be mindful of the company you keep. Never let someone fool you more than once.

Well those were the five lessons I learned from Scandal. The show is available to watch on Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus, and even Tubi. Scandal was created by TV Queen Shonda Rhimes, so you already know it’s good. I highly recommend watching if you love powerful women, drama, and crazy chemistry. 

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