We have always been told that the first semester or quarter of college is one of the most transformative periods of our lives. Freshman year is often described as the time when we discover ourselves, find lifelong friends, and figure out what we want to do for the rest of our academic careers.
I always felt pressure to have the best freshman year ever because it is framed as the best time of our lives. What no one actually talks about is how challenging it truly is to transition from home to college. You have to re-learn how to make friends, navigate a completely new location, and live alone for the first time, all while taking classes and maybe even working a job. I wish I could tell my freshman year self that everyone is experiencing a very similar sense of doubt and confusion.Â
I found that the best form of comfort and relatability came from watching movies that somehow reflected what I was going through. I have compiled a list, primarily for brand new UCSB students, that will get you through typical first-quarter experiences: from homesickness and failing your first midterm to going out with your roommates and Sunday scaries.Â
Homesickness
I remember feeling like I needed to go home every other weekend. Once the excitement about starting a new chapter faded, all I wanted to do was see my hometown friends and family. I started to feel isolated, as I hadn’t formed any close friendships yet, but everyone around me seemed to have already found their “group.” My favorite movie to watch when I was feeling homesick was Little Women (specifically the 2019 version).Â
At its core, Little Women is a coming of age film about the transition between childhood and adulthood, and the struggles that come with letting go of the people who shaped you. Jo March craved independence and autonomy. Her leaving her home to pursue her writing in New York for the first time parallels the college experience of establishing ourselves on our own. After she leaves, she experiences feelings of isolation and longing for how her family once was. The movie is very warm and comforting, and watching something where family is centered makes our own homesickness a little simpler to process. Â
Going Out
Once I began settling into my Santa Barbara life, I started going out with new people and learning how to socialize in a new environment. I am a junior now, but there was something so special about five girls getting ready in the same tiny dorm room, squeezed into one mirror. Three different hair tools were always in motion, clothes all over the floor, and frantic stomping in the dorm hallways as everyone scrambled to find a new top to wear.Â
Whether it was in the background amidst the chaos, or on the TV the next morning while we reminisced about the night before, The Hangover perfectly captured the spontaneity, friendship, and energy of those first freshman experiences. The film encapsulates the unpredictability of a night out, but also how ridiculous shared experiences are the building blocks to forming relationships. It is unserious and hilarious, making it perfect for rehashing unplanned moments and remembering the nights that brought us all closer.Â
Exam Season
The quarter system is a complete culture shock coming straight from high school. It moves incredibly fast, and sometimes I felt like I could barely get back on my feet after midterms before finals hit all over again. I used to feel like getting below an A on a test was the end of the world, but when you’re balancing three major classes, clubs, a job, and a social life, other things start to become more important than studying for your twelfth exam this quarter.Â
Legally Blonde never fails to get me in that test-taking groove. Elle Woods is constantly underestimated and yet, she prevails. Its humor, lightheartedness, and her perseverance make the film very motivational, especially from a college student’s perspective. Everyone disregarded her as incapable, and she proved them all wrong by successfully pursuing her law degree. There have definitely been moments in college where I have felt completely lost and out of place, but watching her dominate the courtroom proves that sometimes all you really need to do is try. Elle’s confidence is radiant, and it will carry you through your first 8 a.m. final.Â
Sunday Scaries
Without a doubt, one of the most universal college (and life) experiences is “Sunday Scaries:” that inevitable feeling of anxiety and dread that encroaches just as the weekend starts to come to an end. All of a sudden, the weight of the entire week settles on our shoulders. Thoughts of upcoming deadlines, classes, meetings, and tests begin to consume the day. I can’t even count how many Sundays I spent on the top bunk of my dorm bed, immobilized by unease.Â
Sometimes the only thing that can drag me out of this dread-induced coma is an upbeat movie like Mamma Mia!. Something about Meryl Streep running around with her best friends singing on an island is the perfect reminder that nothing is ever “that deep.” It reminds me that at the end of the day, I’m gonna wake up and everything will feel just as manageable as it always does.Â
The truth is, movies can’t single handedly make the transition to college feel easy, but they can remind you that your feelings are universal; every other person in your hall is probably feeling the same homesickness, dread, and anticipation that you are. Freshman year might not be the “perfect” experience you always hear about, but it will be unforgettable in ways that you don’t realize yet.