Although Gilmore Girls fans root for Rory and want her to succeed, it's hard not to find some of her decisions to be strange. Viewers are still uncertain about why Rory would steal a boat, drop out of college, and sleep with Dean when he's married to Lindsay. And in the Netflix revival A Year In The Life, Rory struggles in her journalism career and has an affair with an engaged Logan.
But even though fans are confused about some things that Rory does, the beloved character does make some smart life choices that prove that she approaches many situations with kindness and intelligence.
Throwing Lorelai A Birthday Party With A Huge Pizza
Lorelai makes a random weekday fun and exciting, so it makes sense that she's all about birthday celebrations. Rory pays her mom back for all of the amazing times that they have had together in the season 3 episode "Happy Birthday, Baby" when she throws Lorelai a party. Rory also orders a massive pizza, a charming touch that proves why fans love these quirky characters.
Rory's decision to plan this party is an important one as she shows her mom that she loves her and also does something nice for the town, as everyone in Stars Hollow is excited about the gathering. This might not change Rory or Lorelai's life in any big way, but this is still a smart choice on Rory's part as it shows that she cares about family and community.
Telling Emily That She Didn't Want Her 16th Birthday Party
The Gilmore Girls episode "Rory's Birthday Parties" is a story of two parties that couldn't be more different or opposite. Before Rory can celebrate with Lorelai's fun and chill gathering, Rory and Lorelai attend the get-together that Emily hosts.
Rory hates it since her new Chilton classmates are there and she feels insecure and awful. When Rory yells at Emily and tells her that she didn't want this party and she wasn't consulted about it, her words hurt Emily's feelings, but this ends up being a crucial choice that Rory makes. Rory proves to her grandma that she needs more respect and compassion.
Saying No To Being The Ice Cream Queen
It might seem harsh that Rory turns Taylor down when he wants her to be the Stars Hollow Ice Cream Queen in the season 4 episode "Ballrooms and Biscotti." But this can also be seen as a smart decision.
Although Rory loves Stars Hollow, she does have a desire for independence, and it's good for her to try to move on while keeping some ties to her hometown. No one can really blame her for wanting to focus on Yale and getting used to college.
Confronting Christopher In The Revival
Christopher gets worse on Gilmore Girls and he and Rory have a sad and tough conversation in A Year In The Life. Although it's never easy to confront a parent about why they've been so absent, Rory acts calmly and maturely and talks to her dad about why Lorelai was there for her all the time and he almost never was.
This decision to talk to Christopher comes pretty late in Rory's young adulthood, so it doesn't feel as powerful as some other things that she does. But it still allows Rory to come to terms with her childhood so she can look to the future.
Comforting April About Her Stress
When April comes over to Lorelai and Luke's house in A Year In The Life, she and Rory talk about how stressful April finds college and how she's not doing as well as people think that she is. Rory lets April know that everyone has trouble and that her feelings are valid.
Rory's decision to talk to April in a calm, honest manner is one of her best ones. While this is a fairly short scene so it's not as impactful as some other life choices that Rory makes, it means a lot to April that Rory would take the time for her.
Rejecting Jess When He Wants Them To Run Away
In season 4, Jess wants Rory to leave Yale and be with him, and it makes sense that she would say no.
While it's hard for Rory to reject Jess as she cares about him so much, she knows that she has to think about her future, and this is definitely one of her smartest decisions. No matter how much fans love watching Jess and Rory's relationship, it's hard to imagine this working out, as Rory would realize that she has left the path that she set out for herself and she wouldn't be happy. It's true that Rory does leave Yale and mess up a lot, but these are lessons that she needs to learn.
Asking Emily And Richard To Cover Yale
While Rory's Gilmore Girls Yale mistakes are memorable, she does have a good balance of fun and educational moments, and it all starts with Rory finding the money to cover her tuition.
In the season 3 finale "Those Are Strings, Pinocchio," Rory learns that Lorelai can't purchase the property that she wants to turn into the Dragonfly Inn. She asks Emily and Richard if they will pay Yale's tuition so Lorelai can keep reaching for her dream. This is not only incredibly caring of Rory but this allows Rory and Lorelai to have the futures that they want.
Going To Washington With Paris
Rory and Paris travel to Washington at the end of season 2 since they're now part of Chilton's student government. While Rory is excited to learn more about politics and to get away and see another place, this ends up being a significant moment in her life.
Rory's decision to be Paris's vice president and to go away with Paris is what ultimately cements their friendship. From this moment on, Rory and Paris become much closer, and Paris becomes a loyal friend who cares about Rory's success as much as her own.
Deciding On Yale, Not Harvard
Rory chooses Yale, not Harvard, and while fans wonder why she would move on from her long-held dream, it's exciting seeing Rory during this college chapter.
This life choice is a smart one for Rory since there are a lot of things about her Yale years that are meaningful, from working on The Yale Daily News to making friends with Marty, Lucy, and Olivia, as well as falling for Logan.
Leaving Stars Hollow High And Going To Chilton
When Rory wants to go to Chilton, this decision creates a ton of change for her and Lorelai. It inspires both of them to work harder and take their goals seriously. Rory also gathers more self-esteem by the time that she leaves this sometimes scary private school.
While Chilton is far from easy, this teaches Rory that nothing worth achieving is simple, and by the time that Rory graduates, she's ready for what comes next.