Growing up, Legally Blonde was one of those movies I could watch over and over again and not get tired of. It was a funny, light-hearted movie with good values. Pretty sure it’s what made me love Reese Witherspoon as an actress. One of the best parts is Elle’s graduation speech as the finale. Nothing says transformation more than her Malibu Barbie character to Harvard’s valedictorian. Now that the semester is coming to an end, I think everyone is thinking about the next stage in their lives, even if they’re not graduating. There have been some infamous graduation speeches over the years and even though Elle’s is short, sweet, (and fictional), it has some very important lessons we can learn from.
1. You need passion, courage and conviction, and a strong sense of self to get through the next phase of your life.
I know, it sounds like a lot to have all at once. But these are admirable qualities in a person and they’ll help you get through your transitional phase, even if that is entering the real world. Whatever it is that makes you want to get up in the morning, whatever it is that pushes you to work hard and makes you give it your all, that’s what will push you to get through the difficult moments.
2. First impressions are not always correct.
Remember this as you go into your new internship, your new job, or even your next school year. Stay open minded.
3. You aren’t where you were two years ago.
Think about Elle and where she was two years before she gave that speech. Now, think about where you were two years ago at Fordham. Are you the same person? Probably not, and that’s a good thing. Whether it be because you have a new group of friends, a new found passion, or better fashion sense, you’ve matured. And there’s always more room for growth. So if you’re scared about what’s to come, if you think you should’ve accomplished more things by now, remind yourself you’ve got another two years for life to change.
4. Have faith in others.
If you have faith in others, like your friends and your family, you’ll remember you’re not going through anything alone. You’ll always have a support system to help pick you up when you’re down and show you the positives in the situation when all you can see is the negatives.
5. You must always have faith in yourself.
If you don’t remember lessons 1-4, then at least remember this last one. The only thing you can control is how you present yourself to other people and the only way you’ll present the best version of yourself is if you have confidence in who you are. It’s the best thing you can do for yourself.
Oh this is good to remember too…