Mara Dumitru is a sophomore journalism student at MU. She is an opinion columnist who writes about fashion and lifestyle for The Maneater.
Picture this: It’s the day before classes start. The Quad is filled with booths and tables featuring different groups, clubs and organizations. More often than not, students are walking or sitting together having the time of their lives. If this image reminds you of anything, it certainly isn’t your own first day.
Teen dramas are a tried and true movie genre. They are most notably known for their dramatic relationships and the ups and downs the main character faces within school; these movies never fail to entertain their viewers. However, teen dramas don’t only provide entertainment, but false expectations as well. The scene described above is hard to replicate in real life. It can only truly exist in movies like Pitch Perfect or Legally Blonde.
As a disclaimer, I came to the University of Missouri in 2020, during the height of the pandemic and social distancing. My freshman year experience was not only completely different from what is shown in movies but also from any typical school year in general. Still, as regulations loosen up and life goes back to normal, I have yet to experience the much-desired main character life.
College movies glamorize every aspect of college life from school work to fraternity parties. It makes sense; who would want to watch a computer science major trying to fix his code for two hours straight? Viewers would much rather watch Elle Woods from Legally Blonde dress up as a Playboy Bunny and go to halloween parties. However, too much over-glamorizing can be dangerous. Frat parties aren’t a safe space to let loose for anyone. Just this week, MU halted all fraternity activities after a suspected alcohol poisoning.
Movies are designed to sell. They need to have something the viewers want, something they’re willing to pay money for. They sell the visions and feelings you get while watching the movies. It needs to be something viewers don’t have, something they can only get out of a movie. This is where the overglamorized utopia comes in: the main characters with seemingly perfect lives living out your college dream. It’s a what-if reality, one that none of us experience in real life. If we did, these movies would be considered too mundane to watch, let alone pay for.
“These movies create a glorified version of college, only highlighting the fun side without touching on how difficult navigating adulthood is,” MU sophomore Alaysia Stremel said. “Because of this, students feel depressed that they’re not living the college dream when they have to realize that it’s not how it is in the movies. College is the gateway into the real world. They don’t show people getting drugged at the bars; they don’t show people getting STDs from the ‘fun college hookups.’ It creates a false reality.”
These movies cannot only physically affect students, but emotionally as well. Many students experience FOMO weekly. Seeing main characters constantly partying, going out with boys or their friends — all while maintaining a 4.0 — can leave viewers feeling like they’re not doing enough.
It’s okay to be bored sometimes, and it’s okay to stay in instead of going out. Real life doesn’t consist of riff-off after riff-off, only Beca gets to experience them in Pitch Perfect.
After being locked up inside for the last two years, it’s more important than ever not to over glorify the experiences characters have in teen movies. It’s essential for students not to push themselves to burnout by going out with friends whenever possible. Teen movies don’t show the countless hours students have to put in to maintain their good grades or how tiring it can become to hang out with people constantly.
Instead of daydreaming about utopias, students should learn how to craft their own perfect college experience. There’s nothing more personal and intimate than your own life. No one but you knows what best fits your needs and desires, so follow your own lead instead of what you see in teen movies.
The Maneater encourages you to support the National alliance on Mental Illness to help individuals affected by mental health issues. You can make a donation at the following link: https://www.nami.org/About-NAMI/Donate-to-NAMI
Edited by Cayli Yanagida | cyanagida@themaneater.com