It’s that time of the year where you can really feel the weight of the school year and not even the weekends are enough to sustain your motivation! It’s in these cases that I must resort to my imagination for inspiration, and nothing else gets my brain juices flowing like a good old movie. I tend to watch one good movie and base my life off of it for the weeks following so here are some girl boss movies that will show you the rainbow at the end of this long, 4 year tunnel of torture that is college.
“legally blonde”
You know what Elle would say to you not doing your schoolwork? As if! “Legally Blonde” is a classic chic movie about a bright and fashionable young lady named Elle who, despite being a girly girl who loves pink, also has the wit to go to Harvard Law School! She was inspired by her man not taking her seriously but learns a little something about her value, abilities, and worth along the way. As a pre-law student, this movie is the best inspiration for me and no matter your major, it will inspire you to never let men put you down.
“Hidden figures”
This is a film based on a true story about the inspiring lives of three Black women, Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson, who worked at NASA as mathematicians in 1961. In addition to the already prominent issue of sexism in STEM fields where women were especially underrepresented in the 1960s, these incredible women had to overcome the extreme racism prevalent during that time as well. Despite the tremendously frustrating and disheartening experiences these women went through, they persevered to contribute greatly to NASA’s space exploration initiatives. School and professional development is already hard enough as a college student, but it’s worse having the additional factors of men not taking you seriously due to your race and gender. This movie is especially inspiring for women of color in male-dominated fields, but it serves as a reminder to all to never let the perceptions and actions of others stop you from accomplishing what you are passionate about (no matter how annoyingly racist and sexist they may be).
“Black panther: wakanda forever”
The first scene that comes to my mind when I think of this film is the speech Queen Ramonda gives to the United Nations at the beginning of the film. The exhibition of her strength whilst remaining so composed and calm makes you watch in awe. This movie features an all-female lead and shows how the women of Wakanda rise up to be independent and powerful in the midst of tragedy. Shuri gets the spotlight to exhibit the power of her knowledge is just as effective as the physical powers of her late brother. The women in this film all show leadership and strength not through typical perceptions of power and might but, qualities women are normally seen as weak for such as mercy and empathy. Shuri’s passion and genuine love for science and technology as well as Ramonda’s will and strength in this film serve as an inspiration to us all!
“The devil wears prada”
This is one of my favorite movies of all time because it sheds light on the struggle of being a young and aspirational woman doing everything to climb up the professional ladder. In addition, it shows the other side with the perspective of a successful woman whose cutthroat attitude has been accumulated through years of dedication and hard work. Throughout the film, the protagonist, Andy, finds herself conflicted with the desire to progress professionally but still wants to retain aspects of her social life like making time for her boyfriend. This is very relatable for us college gals when there seems to not ever be enough hours in the day to balance school, work, self-care, the gym, AND your social life. In the end, Andy gets through it and this film will give you insight as well as motivation to pursue your professional goals.