College is idealized in many pieces of media. One could tune into the radio station and easily find a song describing the emotions and experiences associated with these four years. If you turn on the TV and scroll through some streaming platforms, there may even be a separate category for “College-years.” But not all of the movies listed are either worth the watch or depict college in an accurate light. If you are waiting on classes to start and are hankering for a movie that will help you romanticize an ever-changing and stressful period, here are some movie recommendations for you.
If you are trying to leave behind your life of adolescence and hope to find footing in adulthood, watch “Good Will Hunting.” It is not necessarily the most realistic college experience, given the genius janitor-turned-mathematician arc is not as easy in real life as it is for Will Hunting, but the emotional ferocity of the film, and the true exploration of the strange in-between adult and child phase of life, is something that any senior would tell you is undeniably true to life. Everyone enters college believing they are mature, and everyone leaves knowing there is much more to learn. Will shows us exactly how that experience feels.
Something you may not expect is the absolute intense force of acapella on campus. Whether or not this is just a URochester phenomenon is unbeknownst to me, but either way, “Pitch Perfect” is incredibly accurate for the importance of joining clubs and extracurriculars in your freshman year. Getting involved is the number one sure-fire way to ensure that your current lackluster social life blooms into something much more exciting. “Pitch Perfect” depicts the intense relationships that form due to joining a space that grows such shared interests, which is true for any club you will join. Friendship is the most important thing in college, no matter what grade-obsessed people may tell you. Friendship is what keeps you sane when you suddenly have five 20-page papers to write. It is what you will remember once the four years pass, not what grade you got on your second Biochemistry exam your first semester. So join a club, make friends, and have a network of people to make surviving college less daunting.
For Eastman kids, or those considering a double degree, watch “Whiplash.” This film is undoubtedly one of the most iconic “perfectionist” and “obsessive artist” depictions, and for good reason. This movie, although intense in nature, may have some hard hitting qualities that ring true to the hours of committed practice, the desire for flawlessness, and doing anything to achieve perfection.
Here are some movies that I myself have not watched, but know deep in my soul for some unknown reason, have worthwhile qualities that make them worth the watch: “Dear White People,” “Monsters University,” “Loser,” and “Prozac Nation.” Whether you watch these as a hall movie night, on the floor with friends, or curled up with a laptop, I hope you enjoy, and hey, we’re always willing to accept movie reviews to publish.
