We’re so close to summer break that you can practically taste it, so I’m going to close out this year’s movie reviews (so sad, I know) with love, family, friends, adventure, and pants. Yes, I’m talking about The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants.
The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants is about four best friends who are about to spend their summer breaks apart — the first time they’ve been separated since their moms were pregnant. Lena’s visiting her grandparents in Greece, where she meets handsome but strictly off-limits Kostas. Bridget is going to soccer camp in Mexico, which is all-girls (except for her dreamy coach!). Carmen visits her estranged dad and his perfect new step-family. And Tibby is stuck working retail at home, where she makes a documentary and meets leukemia-ridden Bailey. Tying them together are The Pants — an old pair of blue jeans that somehow fits them all.
First and foremost, The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants is about friendship. It’s about always being there for the people you love. It’s about sticking together and supporting each other when the world seems like it’s falling to pieces. It’s about not drifting apart even when an entire ocean separates you.
Summers are hard. They’re wonderful and fantastic, yes. I love sunshine and not doing homework as much as the next girl, but they’re still hard, especially in college. Summers mean saying goodbye to friends who are graduating and moving off to who knows where. They mean going back to a place it almost feels strange to call home, since you don’t live there nine months out of the year. They mean not seeing your friends for three months and trying to figure out if you actually still are friends with people from high school.
Again: summers are hard. But do what the girls in Travelling Pants do. Throw yourself into whatever it is you’re doing — whether it’s making a fun project, or getting closer to your family, or just working a tedious job day after day. That’s one thing that’s great about summer break. It lasts for three months, and after that you’re back to your old life. So if you love your plans, cherish those months and try to carry the memories and lessons with you when you return to Gambier. But if your summer is less than ideal, remember that it’ll be over before you know it. And, hey, you never know what’ll turn into a great story or meaningful moment when you look back on it.
So enjoy your summer breaks. Stretch out in the warm sun. Read a book for fun, as crazy as that sounds. And try to find something that you love, even if you’re stuck wiping little kids’ snotty noses or fetching some overgrown child of a businessman more coffee.
Have a wonderful summer, and I’ll see you in August.
Image credits: Wikipedia.org, Fanpop.com, Hollywood.com