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The Study Group is locked up and barricaded with the Dean in their Study Room. The latest “war” has gotten farther out of hand than it previously has. The Group has a collective assignment to write about what they’ve learned from Greendale, something that they hadn’t been taught in a curriculum. Abed admits to learning how to be more of one with others. He knows now he does not need to completely change himself, but rather adapt to new circumstances. Troy confesses he has learned a lot about growing up. He is the youngest of the Group and often one of the most immature, although he has grown fiercely serious upon defending his extracurricular activities and his friends.
Britta acknowledges that she has learned what it means to truly stand up for rights. People don’t necessarily join or even listen to rights activists. Dying a streak of her hair does nothing for Britta however, while she knows this, something in her mind emotes as though others may take her more seriously and listen to what she has to say. Yet, Greendale has educated her on how to not put so much care into how the others perceive her. Shirley discloses how attending Greendale has opened her up to the variety of company to experience and, in turn, has made her a better mother. Annie states that she has learned the true way to trust. She came to the community college after a rehab stint from Adderall and academic stress. As a freshman, she had been very trusting and naïve. She has now lived through enough troubled occurrences to carry a concealed gun on her person.
Jeff stands to declare that before Greendale, he was a cocky, arrogant, son of a bitch lawyer. Now as a student of Greendale, he is a cocky, arrogant, son of a bitch friend. He relates that he has never had any actual friends prior to the community college and growing up with his shopaholic mom. He now has the best assemblage of friends in the form of a Study Group… plus the Dean – which causes Craig Pelton to grin erratically and places his hand on Jeff’s chest. The ex-lawyer allows it to play through. Seven sets of eyes turn toward Pierce, awaiting his response. He doesn’t meet any of their eyes and he looks like he wants to bolt at any minute. Jeff takes this in stride, realizing Pierce is embarrassed. After a couple minutes of unsteady silence, the white-haired man stands from his spot at the table.
“You all know about my father. And Hawthorne Wipes. And I’m sure several of you have thought about how my life must have been growing up with that man.”
At this, he pauses to take a quick look around the room. The Dean, Annie, Shirley, and Britta adamantly deny doing any such thing. Troy and Abed don’t seem to really know what is going on or what Pierce means by that. Jeff only raises his eyebrows, showing to Pierce that he had thought about it and he isn’t going to lie about something as insignificant as a thought process. Pierce wrings his hands and continues.
“Well, when I got here, no one liked me. So I didn’t like anyone. I used my upbringing against everyone else, finding faults anywhere I could piece together. Then, years later, I joined this Study Group, and… I did the same thing. I kept finding faults in everyone here, and I pushed the boundaries. Part of me wanted the friendship to break off so I could hurt you first.”
Pierce takes a deep breath, analyzing the crowd. The Dean has his hand on his heart, Annie and Shirley are holding hands, Abed and Troy have moved a little closer together, and Britta and Jeff are simply watching and waiting for Pierce to keep going.
“I met Winger and immediately knew he was from Italy. Perry’s from Pittsburg – which according to my father might as well be in Africa, Troy and Shirley are black, Ay-bed is Palestinian, and Annie’s a former pill popper. Even the Dean is Canadian. It’s because I’m xenophobic. I looked it up.” Everyone is staring at him now, a little offended. “But being at Greendale, in this Study Group, I see that the Dean is an overall upbeat guy with school spirit. Annie is organized and uses her Disney face to get what she wants. Ay-bed is an observant and athletic filmmaker. Shirley is a devout mother with a baking problem. Troy is an impressive dancer and goofy nerd. Perry is a true cat lover and is determined to get her point across. And Winger, Jeff, is a sarcastic grown man who has finally gotten honest with himself. Growing out of my xenophobia. That is what I have learned at Greendale.”
The Study Group, including Dean Pelton, rejoices with Pierce on just how much has changed at this community college over the years.