I’ll be honest, I went into seeing Project Hail Mary just wanting to see Ryan Gosling being hot in space. I didn’t expect to come out of the theater feeling emotional about my future and my friendships.
Beneath all its Sci-Fi elements, at its core, Project Hail Mary is really about connection, especially how important it is to have someone by your side in times of uncertainty. That theme hit especially close to home for me as graduation approaches, and everything feels up in the air. Right now, it feels like we are all stuck in this strange in-between stage where we’re supposed to have a plan, but no one really does. People are constantly asking what’s next, and I honestly don’t know yet. It’s like floating in space without a clear direction.
The film shows that even in the most unfamiliar and high-pressure situations, having someone to rely on changes everything. It doesn’t just make the problem go away, but it makes it more manageable because having a friend on your side gives you stability when everything else feels uncertain.
That message feels really relevant when thinking about graduation. Because the scariest part isn’t just the uncertainty, but it’s the idea that everything is going to change, your routines, living with all your friends, and what your day-to-day life looks like. It’s easy to feel like you’re about to lose the version of your life that you’ve gotten used to these past four years.
But I’m starting to realize that the friendships you build in college don’t just disappear when things change. If anything, they become even more important. These are the people who have seen you through everything, whether it was stressful group projects, late-night kitchen conversations, small academic achievements, or big personal breakdowns. They’re the ones who understand you the best. As everything else starts to feel uncertain, those connections become the one thing that can stay certain.
The film also reminds you that connection doesn’t have to be perfect or easy, it just has to be genuine. It takes effort to maintain relationships, especially when life starts pulling everyone in different directions. But that effort is what makes friendships last beyond this college stage of life.
I didn’t expect to walk out of a movie about space thinking about how much I value my friendships, but I’m so glad I did.