Off Campus - Why the Writing Should Be Studied

bc what's better than hot young hockey players advertising liquid IV? a well-written story ;)

Am I one of the people who loves the new show Off Campus? Absolutely.

Is this post going to be a total deviation from what I usually write about? You know it.

But I can’t stop thinking about the writing in this show, and it’s gotten to the point where I need to talk about it SOMEWHERE.

I’m a passionate believer that most of us—not just the critics and the experts—long for depth and complexity in our art, even if the art we’re gravitating toward is purely for entertainment. We might not realize it, but when the art resonates with a core part of who we are we can’t help but feel it in our soul.

Side note: 1) If you haven’t seen the show, don’t read this unless you want to know almost everything about the plot. 2) CHECK CONTENT WARNINGS—this show is not for everyone. 3) I won’t be discussing the books because they’re a separate thing.

Alright, here are some of my unfiltered thoughts on Off Campus simply for kicks and giggles.

What is Off Campus?

If you don’t know and also don’t care about spoilers, Off Campus is an Amazon Prime show created by Louisa Levy, based on the book series with the same name by Elle Kennedy, featuring an ensemble cast of college students. Season 1 is based on the book The Deal, which follows the love story between aspiring composer Hannah Wells and captain of the hockey team Garrett Graham. Hannah starts tutoring Garrett so his grades will be good enough to still play hockey, they start fake dating so Garrett can help Hannah get the attention of her crush, and along the way they (and their friend group) navigate life, love, and friendship.

THEMES THIS SHOW TACKLES WELL

Masculinity — Healthy vs. Toxic

“I am curious what kind of player Garrett Graham turns out to be.” <—when the announcer says this in the first episode, it’s at a time when Garrett is at war with himself. Is he going to turn out like his famous dad like the commentators are wondering? But when Garrett walks out of the locker room and happens to see Hannah singing along to Elton John and dancing like nobody is watching, you see something awaken inside him—a joy and a peace that’s the opposite of what his dad brings out in him. This is signaling to us, hey, this guy is about to go on a journey… and Hannah is the one who’s going to help him become the best version of himself.

Then we see it happen. He goes from his super cocky declaration in ep 1 that he’s “the starting center, team captain, highest scorer for two seasons straight” to a humble “You make me want to be better. To do better.” in the final ep. He goes from “Girls usually tell me their name. Tons of girls would’ve paid good money for the view you got.” to “You can be whoever you want to be with but I hope it’s me.” He also even has a moment of redemption with his former situationship Kendall where he can finally apologize and show that he’s changed.

We also see it play out in the group dynamics. When the hockey team is exercising together in the backyard, they’re joking around and laughing. When they’re at hockey practice, they’re listening to Garrett talk about his feelings for Hannah. “You like her.” “Sh*t, I do . . . I should tell her.” “Yep.” “Like today?” “Yep.” These jocks are often shown as being good question askers and even better listeners, attuned to each other’s feelings, calming each other down, and hyping each other up. We see them unafraid to sing and dance and create and be soft. Also, we see them being gentlemen like when Logan puts Hannah’s bike on the porch.

The conversation between Dean and Garrett about consent, trust, and prioritizing female pleasure is an overt expression of this, but it only hits so hard because we see examples of them living it out. Particularly Garrett in his relationship with Hannah, which is why she feels so safe with him so quickly.

Something I’ve been pondering the scene where Garrett beats up Delaney. I don’t think this is a glimpse into toxic masculinity (acting like his abusive dad on the ice) so much as a reaction to intense unresolved grief because he’s spent his whole life feeling awful that he could never defend his mom from his dad, so much so that he has to defend Hannah. That’s why when he asks Hannah afterward if he makes her feel afraid—his worst fear—his grief only compounds... (Open to discussing anything bc these are all just subjective opinions, obvs!)

But maybe most talked about is the scene when Hannah goes AWOL for a bit while Garrett is having a terrible day. When she shows up, we half expect Garrett to be mad at her for not responding to his calls and texts when he needed her. But instead he says, “Are you okay? . . . Please just text me next time. I was worried about you.” ← As Hilary Duff once said, “This is what dreams are made of.”

Speaking of…

Trust + Safety

Is this the biggest theme of the show? I think you could easily make a case for it.

We all love John “Closed cans are safer” Logan. And, again, Dean + Garrett’s chat in the weight room about that girl who is not Hannah.

But what about when Hannah tells Garrett she doesn’t drink at parties, which prompts him to go on an actual hunt for a nonalcoholic drink for her. He never once judges her for not participating in all of the drinking that’s happening around her (which is a lot!).

Later when Garrett offers to be Hannah’s safe person when she drinks, he isn’t doing it from a place of pressuring so much as realizing that she has been waiting for a safe person to drink with. And then we watch him be more than safe for her—both at Malone’s as well as at his house afterward when she throws herself at him and he refuses to take advantage of her.

Later on, when Garrett hears Hannah’s secret he keeps it even when it might be advantageous to him to share it when he gets suspended from playing.

When Garrett finally opens up to Logan, which Logan says throughout the series Garrett never does, it deepens their friendship and leads to healing. Logan didn’t need to know the personal details about Garrett in order to truly love him and be there for him, but we see the impact that this level of trust has on both of them.

Also, when Hannah tells Allie her truth, and Allie says she’s known all along… she’s just been giving Hannah the space to share when she was ready, that’s powerful. To be known and accepted and supported, not called out, is the very definition of a safe best friend.

Related to this, when Garrett suspects who Delaney is and looks to Hannah, he immediately trusts her and believes her and publicly fights for her, which is the exact opposite of what she experienced in high school. That level of trust he has in her—and love he has for her—is one of the biggest reasons why they’re perfect for each other.

Which is very similar to the next theme…

Vulnerability + Being Seen → Healing

We see this in a big way when as Garrett’s relationship progresses with Hannah. Her love is more powerful than his fear. Logan’s ability to talk Garrett down is another example of this. Allie and Hannah also do this for each other a lot.

Weirdly, I feel like Hannah’s “Cherry Pie” drunk karaoke is a glimpse into this healing. She’s performing with so much joy IN FRONT OF PEOPLE for the first time in, I imagine, a long time.

A huge moment of vulnerability in this show is when Hannah calls her mom and they finally talk about the guilt and shame Hannah has been carrying all these years. Her mom has seen it all and speaks so much compassion and grace toward her daughter, you can almost see the healing happening in real time.

Toward the end of the series Hannah asks her advisor Daveed, “Doesn’t it hurt, opening yourself up . . . letting people see all the weird jagged pieces of you”? He responds by saying that allowing people into our truth can be healing and that we need to cling to the people who see us and smile.

Then in the last episode when Hannah finally embraces everything that she is and shares the deepest parts of herself, and Allie says to Hannah, “You’re everything.” And when Garrett says what he loves about her is, “Everything that you are.” you see her experience a new step in her personal growth and healing.

She doesn’t have to hide anything about herself. She doesn’t have to carry the weight of shame or guilt anymore. She’s free.

Vulnerability + Being Seen —> True Intimacy

You see how the meaning of sex evolves for both Garrett and Dean throughout the show. They start out treating sex as something exclusively carnal. Garrett is getting sexy snapchats and bringing different girls up to his room. Dean is constantly changing sexual partners. But as they let themselves open up emotionally, Garrett to Hannah and Dean to Allie, it’s something that they can’t treat lightly anymore. They want exclusivity.

Garrett at one point acknowledges, “There’s nothing more vulnerable than sex.” Which on the one hand is true, but the show very much shows that there are more ways to be vulnerable between two people. Some of the most intimate moments between some of these characters happen because they take risks and communicate their hearts. True intimacy = deep vulnerabilty.

On a big picture level, Hannah is seen on stage several times in this series and Garrett is on his own stage as the star on the Hawks… but, ironically, with the exception of the showcase, that’s just scratching the surface of being seen. Also, when they’re at Drunk Shakespeare, we get a glimpse into Hannah’s true feelings for Garrett even when she has to publicly say that she’d rather be with Justin’s character in front of everyone. You feel the discomfort of what’s being felt vs. what is actually happening. (Plus, we love a good meta plot device.)

Or when Allie says to Dean as he’s giving her a tour, “Can you be normal? It’s me.” She sees past his facade to who he really is.

True vulnerability is often happening in the quiet moments. Like when Hannah and Garrett are eating pasta salad and talking about how music makes them feel. Or at Thanksgiving when they’re chatting in Garrett’s childhood bedroom and in the car, just the two of them, crying. That’s intimacy. Or when Hannah is struggling writing the lyrics of her song and she starts spontaneously singing her stream-of-consciousness thoughts, which leads to Garrett saying, “I love you.” for the first time.

And we love it.

Dressing for the Male Gaze

When they first start fake dating Garrett says, “You’ve got it so flaunt it.” To which Hannah says, "“Don’t talk about my ‘it’. Not all women want to get dressed up for the male gaze.” And Garrett replies, “Yeah, but the women I’m with do.”

Oop. Oh no you didn’t, hockey man.

But fortunately Garrett’s character arc really truly arcs when it comes to this theme.

When Hannah “don’t talk about my ‘it’” Wells intentionally dresses for the male gaze by showing up in an uncomfortably tight, revealing dress to meet up with Garrett Graham at his house, one of the first things he says to her is, “Would you be more comfortable in literally anything else?” She agrees, so he hands her a t-shirt to change into and turns around so he literally cannot gaze at her until she’s ready for him to do so, on her terms.

In this scene, we’re shown that Hannah can still stay true to herself and is perfect the way she is, and Garrett recognizes and values that.

In fact, every time she’s really gotten the attention of Garrett it’s been when she’s being authentically, joyfully herself.

Who doesn’t love that?? I mean, c’mon.

Desires — Valuing them vs. Suppressing them

In this instance, I’m referencing people’s goals and dreams.

Allie has dreams of being an actress, but her boyfriend doesn’t believe in her. But Dean and Hannah do.

Allie wants to have fun and not get stuck in a rut. Dean provides this for her. She doesn’t have to squash her desires or personality to be with him.

Garrett hasn’t had the chance to choose what he wants, but when he’s with Hannah he starts to wonder… and that journey of exploration he goes on is what leads him back to what he loves: Hannah, his team, and the sport of hockey.

Hannah being able to have an honest conversation about desire without shame is a big moment for her. And later when she and Garrett discuss the idea of speaking up about what they like and how badass it is, you see the wheels turning.

“It’s so hot when someone knows what they want.”

This show seems to keep asking, What do you want? Be bold. Go for it.

Mentors — Healthy vs. Unhealthy

We see a variety of grownups in these young adults’ lives. Hannah’s advisor Daveed, her parents, Coach Jensen, and maybe Tucker’s mom(?) represent the safe ones. In contrast, Logan’s mom and Garrett’s dad represent the unsafe ones. Interactions with all of these mentors and parents have a huge influence on our ensemble cast as they navigate life.

When John Logan says in the first episode, “We’re not [playing hockey] for [our parents].” That’s not a throwaway line. It encapsulates so much of this entire season, of these 18-22yo’s figuring out adulthood in college. Who are you? And who are you doing this for?

We see how Hannah’s parents are encouraging and supportive of Hannah and proud of Garrett even when he loses a game vs. his dad who is critical, violent, and never proud of him… unless he’s being violent.

We see how Logan’s mom is in rehab, actively trying to change, whereas Garrett’s dad thinks he can do no wrong.

The moment when Garrett thinks Coach Jensen is going to yell at him but Coach says, “Why would I yell at you if I need you to actually hear me.” is so good.

And I think there are quite a few people who felt like they’d just received a warm hug when Hannah’s mom says, “What did you do wrong? . . . You went to a party, sweet pea. You were a high school kid who had a drink, that’s all. You didn’t do anything wrong. That night and everything that happened after is not on you. We love you. Will you let us do our jobs and take care of you?”

Excuse me, I’m going to go cry again. WILL YOU LET US TAKE CARE OF YOU?? I hope I’m a mom like Mama Carrie Wells to my kids. Ahh. <3

Also, shout out to Daveed, a very underrated character in this show and one of my favorites. He drops so many truth bombs in the most gentle of ways.

Power—Abuse vs. Consent

Through the utilization of flashbacks, we see how the abuse of power has had lasting effects on both Hannah and Garrett. We also see examples of people who feel powerless and experience abuse as a result: Garrett’s mom and Phil’s girlfriend Cindy.

And, most importantly, Garrett.

Ironically, Garrett appears to have the most power compared to everyone around him, but we see how powerless he is whenever his dad shows up, triggering lots of anxiety. We see the hole in Garrett’s bedroom wall when he, as a child, didn’t know how to process his trauma. He’s controlled by his demons, his grief and abuse.

When Hannah says to Garrett, “We can’t let him win. It gives him power.” we all felt that because it’s something they’ve both been walking through for a long time

Conversely, as the show progresses Garrett demonstrates to Hannah that he doesn’t want to control her life. He says no to her when she’s drunk, in spite of all of their sexual tension. When she’s not comfortable being intimate, he forces them to stop and validates her feelings. He says if she wants to be with someone else, she should be.

He also tries to get Cindy to experience that same freedom by encouraging Cindy to break up with his dad, and we see just how hard it is for someone without power to break free…

Found Family x Best Friends

Is this my favorite theme?

Maybe.

I mean, there are so many.

But who doesn’t love the found family trope?? Please. It’s the best.

The Briar U hockey team is a team on the ice and off. You see it when they’re in the kitchen together joking around, relying on each other, working out together, dancing together, taking shots together, etc. You see it when they’re having conversations during practice right before Drunk Shakespeare and then again at Drunk Shakespeare. You see it when Garrett gives his big speech in the locker room before he makes Logan team captain. You see it every time they’re all hanging out at Malone’s. You see it when Tucker hosts that chaotic, adorable Friendsgiving where “orphans are welcome.”

And at Hannah’s showcase when they all are cheering for her, together, you get the most found family shot of the whole show. (How could you not smile seeing all of them there, freaking out with happiness over their talented friend Hannah??)

I think we all want to spend a lot more time dancing and singing and creating art and living out our dreams with our found family… and that’s what this show evokes in my heart. I think it does that for a lot of people.

Something I haven’t seen talked about as much: The way everyone treats Jules is a big aspect of the found family theme. They weren’t just a random commentator and voice of levity throughout this series. To me, they represented another subtle (or not so subtle?) green flag in this show. Even though Jules is not on the hockey team and honestly would be very out of place compared to everyone else in this Briar U group, nobody ever questions their presence or rejects them. They’re included, respected, and taken seriously. Logan teases Jules and chooses them in the sweetest big brother way. And Jules supports Logan right back.

Speaking of found family, Tucker is mother and Logan is daddy.

I don’t make the rules.

Wealth Inequality

Logan and Jules will have conversations about their reality due to not having money. “You can’t afford to get distracted.”

One of my favorite scenes is when Hannah and Logan bond over having to work their way through college and how poorly they get paid at their jobs. Probably because I remember making $8.33 / hour at my college job at Disneyland. (Omg I’m old!) And while at one point you see Garrett helping Hannah clean silverware (ooh he’s getting more grounded? haha) he very much is an outsider to the world that Hannah and Logan live in.

And honestly, I don’t think Garrett ever really fully understands their world, even though he tries. Like when Garrett and Logan are talking about brand deals or when Garrett and Hannah discuss how they feel about working in a grocery store or when Garrett doesn’t understand the importance of the fundraiser that Logan organizes (while Hannah, of course, does)… you just see him feeling so confused.

Logan: “Do you know how much hockey costs?”

Garrett: “It’s not all about money.”

Logan: “Spoken like someone with a sh*t ton of it.”

Another significant moment is when Logan and Garrett discuss their futures. Garrett says, “[The NHL] is the dream right?” And Logan responds, “Yeah, that’s the dream.” But you see it all over Logan’s face: Garrett doesn’t understand I’m up against so much more than he is. I might not be able to achieve this dream. And it’s not his fault that he doesn’t get it.

There’s a real grief and angst to these conversations surrounding wealth. It’s something so many people can relate to. And I just really, really loved it.

Teamwork vs. The Savior Complex

Nobody wants the pressure of being the savior. Nobody should have that kind of pressure. But Garrett, growing up with Phil Graham as his dad, has experienced that pressure since he could walk. Like, when Hannah and Garrett visit Garrett’s childhood room and there are hats and photos that say, “In Graham we trust.” Uuuugh barf.

He thinks he can never fail, never deviate from his dad’s plan, because he needs to be the perfect, best hockey player in order to be good enough. BUT when Garrett can no longer play, that ironically becomes the best thing for him. He makes Logan team captain (and he’s great at it!) + his team wins without him (yay!) + Hannah shines without him. While that’s hard and humbling, it illuminates what’s been true all along: Garrett doesn’t have to carry the weight of his dad’s or society’s expectations on him as Phil Graham’s son. He doesn’t have to save everyone around him. He is free to live his best life on his team and in community.

He can take a deep breath.

Selfless vs. self-focused love

Everyone in this show is trying to be a genuinely caring person, which is partly why it is so comforting and resonating so deeply. You see people prioritizing other people’s pleasure in sex. You see people prioritizing other people’s dreams even if it means they won’t see theirs realized (Garrett supporting Hannah when she’s still interested in Justin, Logan helping Garrett “be the hero” for Hannah even though Hannah had the fattest crush on Hannah first). You see best friends who keep trying to make their best friend the main character (whenever Hannah and Allie are chatting in their dorm, you see them asking thoughtful questions, hyping each other, and actively not wanting to dominate the conversation if their friend was going through something big at the same time that they were). You see it when Hannah’s finding her drink drink, and Garrett is just there to hold her drink and support her on her journey (lol). He goes from being selfish to selfless.You see Hannah showing grace to Allie when Allie is going through the hardest break up. You see it when Logan shows up at the rehab center when Jules visits their mom on Thanksgiving and he says, “I’m here because it means a lot to you.” (Ahh, Logan is the best at showing selfless love from the moment we’re first introduced to him.)

Conversely, Sean says he loves Allie but is only concerned about himself and puts her in a box. Phil says he loves Garrett but he’s only concerned about his image. Which makes them the villains. Gross.

The creative process

I love that Hannah, being a musician, means that we get to see and hear so much discourse about the creative process!

Daveed tells Hannah in the last episode that art doesn’t have to be painful, which is right before she finds a lot of joy in writing and creating her own music again.

Buuuuut throughout the entire season music and writing are two things that, after Hannah’s trauma, have become painful—and basically impossible—for her. I think on varying levels most creatives understand how it feels when the process of creating is not a passion so much as a huge obstacle.

And—again—her people support her through it all! Allie will say things like, “Be nice to my friend Hannah. These things take time.” Or “Hey, be nice to my friend Hannah, who just started writing again.” And Garrett says, “You’ll get there.”

What creative doesn’t want friends like these??

Communication

Garrett’s speech on ghosting felt very relevant, and we proceed to see characters having very open communication most of the time. There are grand gestures. There’s banter (like, can we talk about how masterfully written the hockey practice scene was where they’re all talking about Hannah while also talking about Logan and also the banana??). There’s people sending each other hyper-specific videos that perfectly match the other person’s sense of humor. :) And there are big declarations.

Who doesn’t love the moment when Garrett says, “I like you. Deal with it.” And we know that he’s, in that moment, realizing that he wants to say that to Hannah except she dips out before he can. Gahhh the tension! When and how will they get together??

On a related note, Logan never even gets a chance to be with Hannah because he never says anything.

Yearning

Yearning is so back.

From Garrett not having time for a relationship with Kendall to him saying, “That’s fine, we’ll make it work.” to Hannah. He demonstrates the age old saying, “If he wanted to, he would.”

His yearning for her is palpable throughout almost the entire show.

Also, Dean openly yearning for Allie from the beginning is iconic.

On the flip side, we see the pain of yearning as well. Logan knows Hannah’s name but when Jules mentions her brother, Hannah doesn’t even know who he is. Hannah knows who Justin Kohl is but initially he doesn’t know who Hannah is.

Everyone is just yearning all over the place and I’m obsessed with it.

Truth — What Is It?

I love that the class they’re in is philosophy and the main discussion point from it is the exploration of truth. We constantly see characters figuring out how and when to be honest with others and with themselves about who they are and what they want.

Justin isn’t interested in Hannah’s truth, but her parents, Garrett, and Allie are, and that’s what helps her be the most honest, best version of herself and, as a result, the best musician she can be.

Allie when she’s with her friends she’s an honest, open friend who has no problem expressing herself, but when she’s with Sean she starts making herself small and less vibrant.

And when Coach Jensen asks Garrett in the last episode, “What kind of hockey player do you want to be?” Garrett has another chance to figure out what is going to be true of him.

And maybe most significantly we see the moment when Garrett finally understands Kierkegaard on how there can be two truths. He knew it was true that he loves Hannah and she loves him, but also, in spite of that, they had to break up.

Subverting tropes

Sure, this show has fake dating, the jock x nerd couple, one bed, etc., but honestly this show doesn’t just lean really hard into some of my favorite romcom tropes, it also subverts them.

In many situations when we expect someone to be unsafe, they are safe.

We expect Kendall (the puck bunny that Garrett rejects) to be a mean girl, but instead she’s just a nice girl whose feelings have been hurt.

I’m starting to lose steam right now because this post is so freaking long but I love this show so I’ll keep going. If you’re still reading right now, cheers. ::clinks my glass of liquid IV with yours::

SYMBOLS

Is discussing Off Campus symbolism the most English major thing I could be doing right now? Yes. And I’m having a great time.

Uniforms

Hannah is in the background at all her jobs and Garrett is in the foreground, in the spotlight, as a hockey player. Their uniforms slot them into two different demographics and roles on campus. People don’t notice her. Everyone notices him. And this is how the series opens.

However, at the end of the series they’re both out of uniform. Garrett is wearing black after being in the audience at the showcase. Meanwhile Hannah is wearing silver and just won second place. They’ve switched places as to who is in the spotlight. And they’re both better for it.

Home / Safe Place

“This is my dance space. This is your dance space. I don’t go into yours, you don’t go into mine.”

The theme of trust and safety is explored by showing our characters in various locations at very specific points in the show, like when we see that Garrett doesn’t feel safe in his childhood bedroom, but he does in his adult one with Hannah.

My favorite example of this is when Garrett and Hannah are broken up and having this very important conversation while he’s standing on the ice and she’s standing outside of the rink, in their two separate worlds. *chefs kiss*

Also, I love that the hockey rink is the setting both for battle (during games against other teams, between Garrett and his dad, when Logan is at war with himself, and when Garrett is at war with himself) and connection (Friendsgiving and bonding as a team). We feel it when something wrong has invaded the Briar U hockey team’s safe space.

Music

Music is, obviously, a huge aspect of this show. And I believe that it represents your true self.

Garrett changing the music at the beginning of the series signals to us that even though they’re from completely different worlds Garrett and Hannah are similar on a soul level. This theme of them listening to the same songs even though they’re not together carries through the entire season, showing us without words that they are on the same wavelength… literally. (Also, Garrett is always putting in his AirPods. He’s constantly has music in his ears, which is very fitting with being with a girl who wants to one day be a film composer.)

Garrett falling more in love with Hannah when she’s 1) singing on her instagram, 2) dancing by herself, 3) singing karaoke, 4) her singing to him at the rink, and then 5) at her showcase, are other examples of this.

Conversely, Hannah getting her music critiqued by the group was brutal. When that one guy says her music sounds like “background music for someone else’s story. Like you’re afraid to get under the surface of what this song wants to be about.” Gaaah. I felt pain for her.

Hannah putting hockey sounds into her showcase piece (representing her present-day self) + bringing her high school journal onto the stage (representing her past self), then singing a vulnerable, powerful song about her journey from back then to now? EXCUSE ME. That’s the stuff of poetry.

Also, we all love when Hannah starts playing the piano and dancing while listening to Elton John in order to keep moving on with her life when she sees Delaney. When she moves through her trauma like that to be her true self, the unintended ripple effect is that she’s helping someone else (Garrett) move their trauma and be their truest self too.

Also, when Daveed asks Hannah how a song makes her feel… and then when she turns that around to Justin and Garrett? Amazing.

Garrett: I feel bold.

Justin: I feel jealous I didn’t write it first. (Gag.)

It also is a tool used for healing. It’s been that way for Hannah and Garrett in particular since childhood. Garrett’s mom would play music to deal with his Dad being “intense,” so it’s no surprise that a woman, playing, singing, and dancing around to music, seeming like she doesn’t have a care in the world, would touch a part of his heart that has been dormant. I saw on Threads somewhere that Garrett fell for the living embodiment of his own, personal anti-anxiety coping mechanism, and truly.

Daveed says to Hannah at one point, “I’m concerned I’m not really hearing you in this.” And then he adds, “People think that pop music is shallow. But it lies deep inside us. It creates memories. It etches them into our bones. If you do it right, it lets us feel what you were feeling when you’re writing it . . . You gotta let us in.”

^This summarizes so much of this entire series

Also, the soundtrack of this series is just sooooo good.

Stairs

I think stairs are a symbol of power in this show.

When you first see Garrett and Hannah, he’s often shown as being above her. He’s in the row right above her in class. He’s walking down the stairs toward her after class. He’s up on the stairs when she shows up for their first tutoring session.

But at the party, she walks down the stairs to him. Then the next time we see them after class, he’s below her on the stairs. After karaoke when she’s in his room, he has to walk up the stairs to her while picking up her clothes. When she’s singing to him at the hockey rink, he runs up to her.

We also see this when Dean and Allie are having their talk, and she asks him to stop performing for her during his house tour. She’s at the top of the stairs and he’s at the bottom.

The hockey players who, on campus, have more power and popularity, have been humbled by these women. And they love it.

Hands + Fists + Hand Holding

At the beginning when they first decide they’re going to fake date and Hannah says he’s not allowed to kiss her, Garrett is incredulous. He wants to know what he’s allowed to do. “What? Like holding hands?”

That mocking is quickly forgotten because hand holding ends up being a very important gesture for both of them throughout. When Garrett holds his hand open to Hannah in the car after seeing his dad and when squeezes her hand under the table to signal that he wants to leave Thanksgiving, that hand holding is a life line. It symbolizes an openness, safety, and trust that is in direct contrast with Garrett’s dad’s closed fist, which has always led to violence and harm.

Hannah’s Helmet

Haha. Okay. I know the helmet has become an Off Campus meme, but hear me out.

Did you notice she’s wearing her helmet when she’s talking to her mom on the phone? Like, what if that helmet symbolizes how she’s been guarding all of her thoughts since she was a child? She’s been keeping all her thoughts inside in order to survive? And now she’s talking with her mom about all the things she’s been thinking and feeling… she lets it all out there. And she’s okay.

I feel like I’m stretching this a bit, but I feel like if we were in an English class I could make a good case for this.

Gray sweat pants

Just kidding.

NOSTALGIA + FAMILIARITY

Callbacks

This show is so good at circling back to things that were brought up earlier, which perfectly scratches that itch in us as viewers. Here are just a few. Did you notice any others? I’m obsessed.

• When Beau + Allie sing “Omigod You Guys,” in the car, it includes the lyrics “I may be in love but I’m not stupid / Lady, I’ve got eyes.” And then when Dean confesses to Beau that he likes Allie, Beau says in all seriousness, “I know. I was with you in the car for 8 hours and I’ve got eyes.”

  

• If you listen to the song that Hannah sings on her Instagram (“Page One”) it’s literally the opposite of the lyrics she writes and performs in “Girl That I Am.” It’s perfection.

• Garrett + Hannah also have a ton of inside jokes, which I adore.

References

The nostalgia factor of this show really hits a sweet spot for a lot of people, including me.

• Dirty Dancing quotes

• The entire soundtrack + how the music is used to communicate between characters

• Visible product placement (not talking about Liquid IV, which, omg, I cannot get over)

• The way texting and technology is used in this show feels authentic to real life

• Technology relatable moments:

  • Garrett trying to find Hannah’s social media and then scrolling through it

  • Garrett and Hannah scrolling through each other’s social media profiles and using what they find as conversation launch points for getting to know each other

  • Putting his phone to his ear so he can hear her instead of the concert he’s at

  • Them not wanting to view each other’s stories after the breakup

  • Sending each other reels to make each other laugh

  • When she says her email is “a yahoo for some reason” haha

Hannah’s relatability

I think a huge part of why we love this show is how easy it is for us to see ourselves in Hannah’s character. A few examples:

• When someone spills on Hannah and she blames her shoes

• All the times when she’s stumbling over her words talking with Justin

• Crashing out over Justin possibly seeing her “crushing” playlist

• Her default evening activity being watching a movie instead of going out

• All the jobs she has to juggle as she pursues her dreams

In Conclusion

Welp. I cannot begin to tell you how good it feels to get all of these thoughts out of my system after they’ve been swirling around in my brain for a few weeks.

No show is perfect, but the writers of Off Campus deserve applause for what they gave us. Full stop.

Unrelated to writing, here are two other things I appreciate about the show:

• Belmont Cameli’s acting as Garrtett Graham, especially all of his subtle microexpressions

• The use of split screen. That opening sequence? While they’re on the phone? The moments of grief after their breakup? When Garrett is watching her Instagram and likes one of her old posts when he’s missing her? Like…. GAH. Also, the way they show Garrett and Hannah doing things that feel parallel to each other, like when she’s about to go into battle with her trauma at the same time that he’s going into the last game. Perfection.

Okay, signing out now.

If you made it this far, thank you.

What show should I watch next?

~Taiko