The year is 2010. I’m freshly 20 partying it up. Drinking at the clubs in downtown Halifax. Sipping my Purple Haze. Dancing at the Dirty Dome. And what is on TV. The Jersey shore. This was a show on MTV which literally started with a bunch of Italians partying it up living their best life in the most chaotic and rambunctious series. I loved it. At one point I even had the same hair as JWoww because I loved her edgy style. Truth be told, I still do, but I do my own hair styles now! They were my guilty pleasure in so many ways. Mind you I never got in as many fights or outbursts or kicked out of the clubs there were for sure my moments when I would have fit in perfectly with the gang, even if I was a more tamed down version I still could be the life of the party too!
Fast forward to recent years, since downloading the CTV app I have been binging the Jersey Shore Family Vacation. I know, I know, I’m really late to the game here but still. I have been LOVING watching the new serious. It’s still the same fun loving group with the modified grown up drama. I’m nearly caught up to this years season though following them all on socials I do see some of the bigger parts of their lives just not all the Juicy bits that’s on the shows!
A big reason why I am loving the show is for a nostalgia factor. When I met my husband we were 20 years old, the show was starting or had only been going a little while. Fast forward to now. We’re basically the same places as the cast. They were partying, drinking, enjoying their kid free life. Now we have 3 kids and a lot of the cast members also have kids too. I wouldn’t say we are exactly in the same places in our lives but it is pretty similar. The trajectory of their lives and how much they have grown or their lives changed is such a cool thing to see. While my husband isn’t as into the show anymore (Sorry guys!) He will watch it if I’m sewing and watching it at night when our kids go to bed. I watch the show then because I actually want to enjoy the show. And if they are up there ain’t no way I can really pay attention to the show with 3 kids yelling and running around.
One big thing I have to say is a huge factor of enjoyment in the show is Mike Sorrentino and his lifetime arch of achievements. I’m not gonna lie. Mike was one of my least favorite cash members for obvious reasons back then. But seeing that he has literally done a 180 on his life is nothing shy of inspiring. From his time in prison, marrying the love of his life, raising his kids who are around the same ages as my own 3 boys, and continuing to fight against any temptations with alcohol because let’s be honest, that never really goes away. There have more times than I’d like to admit watching him and Lauren in particular seeing how he has changed tremendously and continues to grow is incredible. It has brought tears to my eyes. Not to mention the support from his buddies too, Vinny and Pauly who too in their own rights have been doing things with their own lives. From Vinny being a Chip and Dale and Pauly DJ-ing around the globe. And the 3 of them all supporting the struggles AND supporting the successes. And Nicole doing the same things with 3 kids also supporting her ladies as well as opening her shop. Jenni opening a shop and Deena also having her clothing brand for clothes to match with parents because this was an issue I didn’t think of before having 3 boys and literally no way to match clothes with them even if I wanted to! All of them are nothing short (no pun intended) of amazing and I am thoroughly enjoying every moment of their lives they decide to show the world too! It makes me reflect hard core on how life can be so fast moving and so much can change so quickly.
Motivation for weight loss would be another reason. Because being a mom of 3 trying to start a business and a stay at home mom is a challenge. Seeing them still actively try to work out and lead a healthy lifestyle is important to me. It’s a huge motivation for me to try and do my best at fitting in some activity even a little bit of my life. Even if it’s hard though. Making myself a priority is important. As a parent it is often something I personally overlook and put aside for my kids. And I will say I’m obviously not well versed but their kids are a little bit older than mine, and they may have a few extra hands around to help so I need to be realistic in the fact I am a stay at home mom, starting everything new, and juggling things to start. Rome wasn’t built in a day after all and I need to be patient!
I’ll forever be rooting for them to succeed. Mostly because I feel like I’ve truly been there since the beginning. Even if there was a few years where I wasn’t as present or up to date on them, I’m back now and loving every single minute of it! Each one in their own rights has made so many cool achievements and just stuck to their roots of who they are. They may be a little bit more polished then they were almost 15 years ago, and still may have some of those rougher edges poking out from time to time, but each one deserves their spotlight for various reasons uniquely to them. And I am totally here for it!
Stacey J. Girard 