13 Reasons to Be Downton Abbey's Dowager Countess When You Grow Up

We thank Downton Abbey for many things, but most of all for the Dowager Countess.
Lady Violet Crawley (Maggie Smith) doesn't let a little thing like being elderly get in the way of being awesome. We all hope to live to a ripe old age, but only if we can bypass the tiresome stereotype of being feeble and — let's face it — boring. Here's a primer on how to grow up funny, feisty and full of win, Dowager Countess-style!
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1. Remember that life is a non-stop party...

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2. ... that needs to be fueled.

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3. And that being classy is a state of mind.

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4. Also, with age comes self-assurance.

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5. And you don't have to pretend to suffer fools ...

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6. ... or jump on the bandwagon ...

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7. ...or admire your friend's annoyingly app-ridden smart phone.

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8. Besides, you don't have time to hold grudges.

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9. Nope, you've got priorites!

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10. Just be a thrilling raconteur ...

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11. ... and the final word on everything.

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12. And no one will dare disagree with you.

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13. And when you finally die, remember to still do so with class!

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Fun Fact: Smith has told 60 Minutes that she's never watched Downton Abbey because she's too critical of her acting. It's a shame that she hasn't experienced the Dowager Countess as we have!

Why do you love the Dowager Countess? What are some of your favorite quotes that we missed?
Downton Abbey airs Sunday at 8/7c on PBS.