Photo by Thomas Kelley on Unsplash
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Life lessons that Disney has been teaching us from the beginning that are extremely relevant to college students.
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1. Part of Your World- The Little Mermaid
âWhen’s it my turn? Wouldn’t I love to explore that shore above?â College is hard, frustrating, and tiring. We all reach the point where weâre ready to graduate and join the real world without the stress of midterms and papers. Princess Ariel shares in our eagerness to become part of something bigger than ourselves.Â
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2. Dig a Little Deeper- The Princess and the Frog
âDon’t matter what you look like. Don’t matter what you wear. Donât matter where you come from. Dig down deep inside yourself, you’ll found out what you need. Blue skies and sunshine, guaranteed.â Mama Odie sings an inspirational message about looking inside yourself to discover who you are instead of focusing on what other people say about you or where you come from. College is about defining yourself and becoming who YOU want to be!
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3. Go the Distance- Hercules
âI won’t look back, I can go the distance. And I’ll stay on track, no I won’t accept defeat. It’s an uphill slope, but I won’t lose hope, ’till I go the distance.â Weâre all on a path to greatness. When we fail a quiz, didnât get the grade we wanted, or just overwhelmed with depression, we want to give up because we feel like the world is against us. Our boy Hercules reminds us that life is supposed to be difficult, but we canât give up, or weâll never get where we want to go.
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4. A Whole New World- Aladdin
âA whole new world. A new fantastic point of view. No one to tell us “No” or where to go.â Freshman year is exciting! Weâre experiencing a whole new freedom for the first time. We can finally make our own decisions about what classes we take and where we get involved. Itâs a fresh start and this song captures that exact feeling!
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5. Almost There- The Princess and the Frog
âTrials and tribulations, I’ve had my share. There ain’t nothin’ gonna stop me now, ’cause I’ma almost there.â Tiana sang about working hard and focusing on where you want to go in life with inspirational heart and soul. When you set your mind on where you want to go after graduation, donât let anything get in your way because your hard work will pay off!
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6. Bare Necessities- The Jungle Book
âLook for the bare necessities. The simple bare necessities. Forget about your worries and your strife.â Is anything more inspirational than a singing bear? There are so many things to do in college, and itâs easy to become overwhelmed. Sometimes the best thing to do is take a step back and focus on the simplicity of taking care of yourself and the âbare necessitiesâ of life.Â
7. When Will My Life Begin- Tangled
âAnd I’ll keep wanderin’ and wanderin’ and wanderin’ and wonderinâ. When will my life begin?â College can sometimes feel like itâs lasting an eternity and we share in Repunzelâs eagerness to break out and finally start living life.
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8. Reflection- Mulan
âWho is that girl I see, staring straight back at me. Why is my reflection someone I don’t know?â College is a time of self-discovery, but thatâs a difficult process. Finding out who we are takes time, and we feel just as frustrated as Mulan does. It is important to remember that itâs all about being yourself, not who your friends and family want you to be.Â
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9. Hakuna Matata- The Lion King
âIt means no worries for the rest of your days. It’s our problem-free philosophy. Hakuna Matata!â Iâll say it again and again, college is STRESSFUL! Remember to take a step back every now and then to let go of your stress and worries and relax. Itâs healthy to chill out every once and while.Â
10. How Far Iâll Go- Moana
âThe line where the sky meets the sea? It calls me and no one knows how far it goes.â If youâre like me, youâre driven by your dreams and aspirations. Youâre driven to reach your goal and beyond and prove to everyone, who told you that you couldnât do it, wrong. Moanaâs anthem is a call to people like me to continue on our path for nothing can stop us.Â
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11. Why Should I Worry- Oliver & Company
âWhy should I worry? Why should I care? I may not have a dime, but I got street savoir faire.â Weâre all broke in college and this song is a reminder that having money isnât everything. Yes, we have to pay for school, but donât let your lack of money keeps you from being happy and living life to its fullest.
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12. Just Around the Riverbend- Pocahontas
âWhat I love most about rivers is you can’t step in the same river twice. The water’s always changing, always flowing.â Pocahontas isnât the only one facing a life crisis about where she wants to go and who she wants to be. It can be a challenge, choosing a life path, but remember what the song says, âthe water is always changing,â and itâs never too late to change your major, career path, etc. Follow your heart!
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13. Iâll Make a Man Out of You- Mulan
âTranquil as a forest but on fire within. Once you find your center, you are sure to win.â All of us possess and inner strength to overcome everything college and life throws at us. This powerful anthem reminds us to dig deep, find that strength, and power through. Itâs all about having the confidence to pass that exam, apply for that internship, and make the most of what youâre given!
14. I Just Canât Wait to Be King- The Lion King
âI’m gonna be the main event like no king was before. I’m brushing up on looking down I’m working on my roar.â Just like Simba, weâre wanting to grow up quickly, and skip all the hard work, ready to be living our best lives. This song appeals to our desire to be on top which can be an inspiration to work even harder.Â
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15. Out There- The Hunchback of Notre Dame
âAll my life I wonder how it feels to pass a day. Not above them. But apart of themâ At some point in our lives, someone has told us weâll never become the person we want to be. Just like Quasimodo, we all share a longing to be ânormalâ and be content with our lives instead of being told ânoâ everyday. Sometimes we might not get that grade or internship, and all we want is to belong.Â
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16. I Have a Dream- Tangled
âShe’s got a dream. They got a dream. We’ve got a dream. So our differences ain’t really that extreme.â Lastly, college is a community. We all come from different backgrounds, on different paths, but we all share one thing. A dream. Everyone is here for a reason, and whether we know it or not, weâre all feeling the exact same things. These songs remind us that weâre all alike, all struggling together. In the end, weâre never alone, and our childhood heroes are always here to remind us.