On Girls, high school, and coming to terms with hating the Rent soundtrack

In Hear This, A.V. Club writers sing the praises of songs they know well—some inspired by a weekly theme and some not, but always songs worth hearing
A couple of weeks ago, Marnie set a new bar for Girls episode cringe-worthiness by guilting Hannah into singing “Take Me Or Leave Me” at the latter’s birthday party, despite Hannah’s insistence that “the last thing [she wanted] to do is sing anything from Rent.” That move must have been horrifying for all viewers, but one that resonated with me personally because, sadly, I was one of those high-school girls who were obsessed with Rent. Over the years, I’ve come to realize that I was far from alone in this club, but still haven’t grown any more okay with it. From about 1996 to 1999, I knew every word to every song from the hit Jonathan Larson musical, and to this day, I catch myself singing “Seasons Of Love” more than any other song. And, God, do I hate myself for it.