If you’ve been patiently waiting for Shannon Purser to make a TV comeback after sadly being killed off in the last season of Stranger Things, or currently obsessing over Noah Centineo after watching To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, then you’ve likely already seen the newest Netflix original that was released this past Friday, Sierra Burgess is a Loser.
There’s a lot to learn from this movie that goes beyond the obvious message of acceptance. Caution: Spoilers up ahead!
1. Girls who believe that they don’t meet society’s standard of beauty face challenges that are often overlooked.
On the outside, Sierra stood up to those that bullied her and carried a sense of confidence around with her wherever she went. As the movie goes on, however, Sierra’s outburst to her parents revealed that deep down, she was not immune to the rude comments made at her along with the dirty looks and pushes in the halls she got from her peers.
2. Even those who appear to have it all put together on the surface may be going through difficult stuff as well.
Veronica was the most popular girl in school and everyone wanted to be her friend. However, her home life was another story: her dad left her mom for a 22-year old, and her mom was in denial about it. Veronica needed a friend like Sierra to help her get through that time in her life.
3. Lying about your identity NEVER works.
No matter how you look, what you wear, who your friends are, or what sport or school subject you’re good at, staying true to yourself is necessary to maintain a good relationship with yourself and others. Sierra almost lost her chance at a great relationship with Jamey because she let an innocent mistake turn into a catastrophic lie. Sierra’s best friend even claimed that he didn’t know who she was anymore. Veronica was allowing herself to live a life of sadness because she was trying too hard to pretend to be someone she wasn’t. She kept her private life a secret, and as a result she wasn’t happy with herself. Both Sierra and Veronica became truly happy once they accepted themselves for who they were, regardless of what other people thought about them.
Although this movie is full of comedic and romantic scenes, it also has its fair share of serious ones too. These scenes remind us as viewers that everyone is going through something difficult, even if they do not share their thoughts or feelings out loud. Collegiettes, the best thing we can do is be accepting and understanding of the experiences of others.