Why Every University Student Should Watch “Booksmart”

Like every other 20-something year old university student, I like to spend my Friday and Saturday nights watching movies. Whether spent with my besties, sorority sisters, or – more often than not – alone, I love the vibe of a night-in. As the weather gets cooler and our time spent inside increases, the movie watching is sure to spike as well. So, instead of searching every streaming platform you subscribe to (and forget to cancel after a monthly trial), here is a recommendation for you. 

“Booksmart”, which came out in 2019, features two high school scholars eagerly awaiting their next chapters. Proud of their successes, the two are ready to strut across the graduation stage, sure that their futures are the brightest amongst their graduating peers. But what Amy (played by Kaitlyn Dever) and Molly (played by Beanie Feldstein) fail to understand is that the rest of their class is off to equally prestigious post-secondary endeavours. So just before they throw up their graduation caps and say goodbye to the classmates and teachers they spent all of high school trying to impress, they decide that they need to live their craziest high school experiences – all in one night. 

While I have already had my stint as an academics-obsessed highschooler, I think that what Molly and Amy go through still has some very teachable moments no matter what stage of life you are in. So, after a few watches, I put together a list of what “Booksmart” can teach us as university students. In the fashion of Amy and Molly’s shenanigans – let’s get this party started!  

To have fun…while studying

The very obvious, but must be said, lesson that Amy and Molly teach us is that work and play can exist simultaneously. While they learned a little too late that they too could have been having fun the past 4 years of school and earning good grades, that doesn’t mean we still can’t take their advice. Whether you’re in your first term as a Warrior or getting ready to become a UW alumni, I think the lesson of finding work life balance still applies. 

It’s like someone just explained to Molly the concept of ‘work hard, play hard’. 

That competition between classmates can be harmful…

I know that competition within faculties and programs exists especially in upper years where we aren’t just competing about grades but also about reference letters and trying to impress potential future employers. Molly is super competitive with her classmates, especially with Nick, and freaks out when learning about the Ivy League schools and the insane job offers her graduating class has lined up. I think encouragement and competition are very different and the latter can often negatively impact relationships. Just as much as you are trying to succeed for yourself, make sure you aren’t compromising connections with your classmates to get to the top of the podium. 

To ditch the status surrounding higher education

Molly is headed to Yale and Amy is supposed to go to Columbia after a summer of volunteering in Botswana – both very name-dropping experiences. With the mention of coding jobs at Google, soccer at Stanford, and a fifth choice selection of HARVARD… it’s clear the movie is trying to create this bubble of prestige that is often associated with higher education. As a student, I obviously value education and believe that continuing to learn can provide enriching opportunities but I also think it’s slightly problematic when the media only emphasizes these top schools – without considering the barriers to get there. 

While I won’t spoil the ending, Amy decides to change her path a bit and I think her choices teach a valuable lesson that schools with fancy names and buildings built from million dollar donations are not the only valuable option after high school. Attending higher education is a privilege, not a right. It is definitely not the only option and should not be the end goal for everyone. 
 

That everyone is on their own journey

Whether it’s learning to love someone else or yourself, understanding that there is no template for life makes navigating it a whole lot easier. As Amy gets more bold in talking to girls, and one specific girl in particular, and Molly admits her feelings for another classmate, the girls learn to take things at their own pace. Who cares if the first time they played beer pong was the night before high school graduation? It’s not a race and in the grand scheme of things, these actions don’t matter! 

How do you even define success? Definitely don’t stress about “getting it”… 

 

The importance of friendship

Last, and most important of all (in my opinion) – the lesson of friendship. Amongst the craziness that is their pre-graduation party spree, Amy and Molly get into an argument that causes quite a scene. But at the end of the day, and movie, it’s clear that their friendship is strong and no drug and alcohol hazed party fight will ruin their bond. 

Whether you’ve spread your fun times over your entire university experience or are going to pull a Molly and Amy and cram it all into one night or term, remember who has been there for you all along. The people you used to stay up late with in the dorms or call right after stressful midterms have been with you through the highs and lows of university life. They are your true friends, so don’t forget the memories you shared in your time as an undergraduate student even if you are going your separate ways post-graduation.  

So grab some popcorn (extra butter of course) and make sure you add “Booksmart” to your watchlist. And just as much as you are having a laugh at Amy and Molly’s theatrics, also take note of the important lessons they are illustrating about being a student. Enjoy!   

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• student life