Before Going to College, Watch (Or Rewatch) These 5 Movies ASAP!

By Clinton Courier | October 22, 2021 |

College is a fun and exciting time and place to be alive. You’ll get to travel to new places, meet new people, explore your passions and find out more about your intellect and interests. You can either get too busy and caught up or too slack in college that you end up missing out on some important experiences.

College is a time to reflect not just on what makes us unique as individuals but what makes us human as well. One of the best ways to prepare yourself mentally for college is to watch or rewatch the 5 movies below. You can free up more time on your schedule to watch these movies by finding the right expert on PayForEssay Review.

1. The Bucket List

Two unlikely paths cross meet in this visual spectacle when a billionaire hospital owner and a lowly automotive mechanic are introduced when seeking treatment for terminal lung cancer. Though seemingly at odds at first, the two characters, played by Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, find common ground and even come up with a “bucket list” which sees them adventure all around the world. Besides comedy and good humor, and aside from seeing two legends together on one flick, the Bucket List has important lessons for life.

Our differences in background, education, race, culture, and any other gaps and barriers that we tend to identify with as humans shouldn’t tear us apart. The Bucket List also teaches us to actively work to achieve our goals and ambitions and to always add to our aspirations.

2. The Green Book

The Green Book (2018), based on actual history, wasn’t just a movie to showcase the travel experiences of African Americans and colored folk in the Jim Crow and Civil rights eras. This powerful film captures the unlikely friendship of a gifted African-American pianist, Don Shirley, and his Italian-American bouncer known as Tony Lip. In a surprising and seemingly dangerous move, Don Shirley embarks on a musical tour in the Deep South, the cultural backdrop of racism and segregation, where African-Americans are treated as sub-par human beings.

The Green Book is an emotional ride that will remind students and young adults about how privileged they are and the struggles that their peers had to go through in the past. It is also a coming-out story for Don Shirley, who is a closeted LGBTQ, and a stark reminder of how fear keeps us down.

3. Forrest Gump

What’s that in the Good Book about having faith like that of a child? Forrest Gump might fit that bill perfectly. Although no genius or smart Joe, Forrest Gump doesn’t let that get him down. He is honest, hopelessly quaint, and loves with a genuineness rarely found. The film presents a goofy commentary on the rancor of the times, with Gump recounting his experiences that are intertwined with historical moments.

While Forrest Gump might seem overly idealistic to some, it reminds us of why we should never give up and why we should always be driven by good; for us and others. Gump alludes to a higher power at play through the reality that sometimes it isn’t the smartest, richest, most beautiful and handsome, or most hardworking that succeeds in life.

4. The Pursuit of Happyness

The Pursuit of Happyness, deliberately misspelled, shares the true-life story (although somewhat exaggerated) of Chris Gardner, a homeless young father who turned his life around in his pursuit of happiness.

Gardner, played by Will Smith, is the perfect archetype to bring to life the story of a resounding victory over adversity and circumstances that every young adult faces. The movie is based on events that took place in 1982. Fast forward to 2021, and the real Chris Gardner is worth over $60 million and tours the world giving motivational talks for a living.

The real Chris Gardner has acknowledged that given a chance to rewind time, he wouldn’t change a thing because his adversity shaped and molded him to want more for himself and his children. Gardner reminds every student that adversity is an absolute part of life but that being down and out depends on one’s attitude.

5. Peaceful Warrior

The come-back arch has almost been overused, whether it’s a college athlete who fell off through injury and rose back up to beat the odds or the sports superstar who was drowning in addiction and debt only to rediscover themselves through an epiphany. Yet there is still much that Peaceful Warrior can offer besides self-help cliches, especially by reminding us that down is out only if we let it.

Dan Millman is a champion athlete on the UC Berkley gymnastics team who finds himself faced with a serious injury that threatens to cut him off sport for good. On his journey to self-discovery, Dan meets a sage called Socrates (played by Nolte), who starts teaching and reminding Dan that there is much more to life than awards and accolades.

Why Watch Any of These Films?

In college, you’ll be managing complex relationships with your friends, peers, professors, and strangers you are just meeting for the first time. These five movies will show you that life can flip instantly, either for good or bad, but that each experience should build and mold you into a better person. You can find an expert writer on topessaybrands.com who will help free up more time for you to watch your favorite movies.