Have you ever had a celeb that you look at and think, "They are literally me?" Winona Ryder somehow has picked a perfect role to match every angst-filled moment of my young life. From Lydia Deetz to Joyce Byers, here is a comprehensive list of the things I have learned from my favorite actress.
1. Don't be afraid of being weird.
It's okay to be weird, it's okay to be different, and it's okay to chill with the ghost couple that lives in your attic. During my younger years of being a scene queen (didn't everyone have that phase?), I remember watching "Beetlejuice" on the couch while simultaneously eating chicken noodle soup and connecting with Lydia Deetz on a spiritual level. Despite growing out of my Hot Topic phase, Lydia taught me that it's completely fine to be "strange and unusual."
2. Never let the groups you hang out with define you.
There was something liberating about the first time I watched "Heathers." Now taking first place as my "Favorite Film Character of All Time," Veronica personified the isolation and estrangement I felt throughout high school. I didn't feel like I completely clicked with any of the groups I hung out with. Veronica doesn't fit in with the "Heathers," but she doesn't completely vibe with sadistic J.D. either. She taught me that you aren't confined to the boundaries of your social circle. Do what you know is right, and hang out with the people who make you feel the best.3. Change is inevitable.
I'm not the person I was a year ago, a month ago, or even a week ago. Charlotte from "Mermaids" showed me that change is inevitable. While I've never had a desire to don a veil and become a devout Catholic, the struggles that Charlotte goes through are way relatable. Sometimes the ideas of what we think we will be are crushed by, well, life. The path I saw for myself at eighteen isn't remotely where I am at now. But you know what? I am happy. Interests change, dreams change, and we change.
4. Success takes time.
Lelaina Pierce is the character that pushed me through the slump that smashed all of my creative passion. I think we're all plagued by the idea that success is going to come to us overnight. In our society, it seems like there is some threshold of perfection to reach before we hit our mid-twenties. I've spent many nights looking at the work of writers, musicians and filmmakers my age and thinking, "Why hasn't it happened to me yet?" Not only do I see myself in Lelaina because we're both filmmakers, but also because of her crippling determination to really be somebody. "Reality Bites" is a smack in the face that I'm only twenty-one-years-old. This is a time to grow, create, and discover; not constantly be concerned with achievements. Success takes time.
5. Always stand for what you believe in.
There is an important lesson to be learned from Joyce Byers: Despite basically being the human version Marlin from "Finding Nemo," Joyce always stood for what she believed in. Even if it makes people think you're crazy, you have to persevere through tough times. Just think, "What would Joyce do?" Stand your ground, deck your house out in Christmas lights, and stay strong. You've got this.
