Here's the deal: I believe that The Office is the greatest television show of all time. I truly love everything about it — from the awkward moments in Michael Scott's Threat Level Midnight movie, to Jim Halpert's casual glances at the camera crew, and all of the office romances in between. Every time Dwight Schrute talks about his beets, how to fight a bear, or the latest episode of Battlestar Galactica, I'm cheering from the other side of the screen. What I probably love most about this television show, though, is how relatable it is. I can see myself in every single character, especially Pam Beesly. The things you have in common with Pam from The Office will seriously make you say, "Same."
Now, for those of you who don't know, the sitcom tells the story of a bunch of people who work for a paper company called Dunder Mifflin in Scranton, Pennsylvania. They arrive at their typical nine to five job every morning, and talk to customers about types and quantities of paper. But that's really only a small and very ordinary part of what they experience together, which you see as each season and episode unfolds.
Beyond selling paper, they experience their branch potentially shutting down, beach games with their boss, and award ceremonies hosted at Chili's. And if you sit down and watch it, you'll realize that being the Pam of your office means you can relate to these five things.
First things first: Being the Pam of your office means that you're likely pretty shy. You aren't very outspoken when your boss gives you a weird task like changing the address on his magazine subscriptions, or cooking tons of hot dogs at the beach. And you have a few coworkers who you're really close with, but mostly keep to yourself.
As people get to know you, though, they realize that you're really fun-loving and sociable. You love joking around, pulling pranks, and dressing up in kangaroo costumes. Smiling and laughing is low-key your favorite thing, and you can find joy in all the little things in life — including your Snoopy coffee mug.
You're not quite sure how it happened, but you're actually very close with your boss. You know what makes them tick, and when their jokes are about to go too far. Most importantly, you know when to take their batteries out when they're pretending to be a robot in the middle of the office. (Do you remember that scene?)
Having this relationship tends to make your work life much more enjoyable, and gets you dibs on the best chairs in the office. It makes you laugh, smile, and totally cringe at times, but also feel like a valuable asset to the team. I mean, who else knows Michael Scott's favorite ice cream flavors? The true fans, probably.
If you are one of the true fans of The Office, then you know that Pam's journey to self-confidence is, well, long. In the beginning of the show, she isn't always so sure of herself. And it takes running over hot coals at the beach for her to realize that she's capable of much more than she gives herself credit for.
You may be the same way, and that's perfectly OK. Like Pam, you can, and will, find confidence in the most unexpected places. You might find it when debating over new chairs or a new copier with your coworkers, or holding the position of Assistant to the Regional Manager. Just take your cues from this iconic character, and you'll be good to go.
Pam — along with two of her coworkers, Oscar and Toby — is a founding member of the Finer Things Club. That's because she appreciates the finer things in life, like paintings, weddings held in Niagara Falls, and chairs that have an adjustable back.
Can you relate? Of course. You love to admire your friends' engagement rings, try on new clothes, and go on dates to new Italian restaurants. But like Pam, you also don't mind surrounding yourself with the little things in life and having small moments. (Meaningful kisses with your SO, walks from the satellite parking lot to your office, and finding a cute lamp at a garage sale, included.)
Last but not least, you have a lot of big dreams and small dreams, which totally makes you the Pam of your office. On one hand, you may want to be a famous artist that paints murals around your hometown. You want to live in New York City, and have a loft with a balcony where you can paint.
On the other hand, you want to figure out how to use a phone, so that one day you can successfully record your daughter's dance recital, rock an office manager position, and congratulate your SO after every big paper sale that they make on the golf course. I don't blame you one bit, and can totally relate to you and Pam, too.
