This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Conn chapter.

Lessons that we Should Take from Disney Princesses

With Disney Plus just being released, I was able to refresh my memory with some classic princess movies. Watching them as an “adult,” I realized that each princess can give both females and males some valuable life lessons. You might ask, “Even Ariel, who ditched her entire family for a guy she had just met?” Or, “Snow White, who basically does nothing but wait around for her Prince?” The answer is yes, and here’s why:

Elsa

Elsa can teach us a lot about being independent, because Disney decided not to give her the expected romantic story line. The problematic powers that cause her to isolate herself from society can symbolize how we isolate ourselves from friends or family when we’re going through something. By the end of the film, Elsa teaches us that letting people into your life and receiving help when you need is more than okay.

Rapunzel

Rapunzel in Disney’s Tangled teaches us to be excited about life. She sacrifices her freedom to satisfy her curiosity about the world, even if it cost her her life. Although we may not have to sacrifice our literal freedom in modern day, she shows us how important it is to exit our comfort zones and to explore the wonderful, strange world we live in. Experiencing the scary, new parts of life is necessary in giving you perspective and wisdom.

Mulan

Mulan is arguably the strongest Disney princess, ever. It’s important for females of all ages to watch this movie, so they can see that women are capable of anything that a man is capable of. Mulan goes against her societal norms and joins the military disguised as a man, ultimately saving her entire country. Her message is that even if a girl decides to be untraditional within her societal or her familial norms, she has the strength to do amazing things.

Belle

In Disney’s The Beauty and the Beast we see Belle continuously stand up for herself and for others. In a society that is predominantly controlled by powerful and handsome men, Belle, her father, and the Beast are at the bottom of the totem pole. Her confidence shines through when she does not allow Gaston to pursue her as a wife, and when ignores the snarky comments that the townspeople make about her being “odd.” She was determined to live her life the way she desired, and no one was going to stand in her way.

Merida

This lesson is one of the most important, in my opinion. Disney’s Brave teaches us about a lot of different things, but it’s ending reminds us that family is forever. The film highlights the common idea that although families sometimes become complicated or don’t always see eye to eye, it’s important to accept each other for who they are. Forming strong bonds with your family and keeping them intact can ultimately make you feel like the richest person in the world.

Pocahontas

This film is actually very relevant to the environmental issues that we are unfortunately facing today. Pocahontas wants nothing more than for the Earth and the natural beauty that comes along with it to be respected. She convinces us to appreciate the simplicity of life through experiencing the great outdoors.

Jasmine

Jasmine helps us understand that we should never settle when it comes to love. With her social status, she could have married several powerful, rich princes. However, she was done forcing herself to choose a man based on his wealth and status. Just like Jasmine, we should have the confidence to find love on our own terms, despite the expectations and opinions of others.

Snow White

The moral that Snow White holds is plain and simple: be kind. If you befriend others and do not judge a book by its cover, kindness and good luck will follow you for life. She helps us learn to be the bigger person in tough situations, and to always be open to meeting new people.

Ariel

In The Little Mermaid, Ariel is basically physically flawless. However, the message she puts forth is that physical beauty is not everything when it comes to finding happiness. Remember, Prince Eric fell for Ariel’s strength for saving his life after being in a terrible ship-wreck and her singing voice before he fell for the rest of her. She shows viewers, especially young girls, that inner beauty will always shine brighter than what’s on the outside.

All of these princesses teach us different lessons and help us instill different values. However, all of these films show us one commonality: having a dream is simply not enough. No matter how drastically different the dreams are that these princesses have, each of them act upon them and make it a reality for themselves. They inspire me to go after my aspirations and to accomplish my goals, and I hope that after reading this article that they’ll inspire you too.