My favorite Disney movie of all time is "Mulan"! It is so full of wisdom and advice for life. However, most people forget this movie even exists! These are 10 quotes from Mulan and how they relate to the lives of college students.
1. "The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of them all."
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After Mulan saved China, the Emperor told General Shang that a girl like Mulan does not come around every dynasty. Guys were just as clueless in Ancient China as they are now.
2. "Dragon! Dragon, not lizard. I don't do that tongue thing!"
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After Mulan questioned why her ancestors sent a lizard to protect her, Mushu defends his position. Never underestimate who you are, because of someone's inability to see your worth. Be confident in who you are and hold to that when people question your worth. Don't forget who you are in times where people are telling you who they think you are.
3. "What beautiful blossoms we have this year. But look, this one's late. I bet when it blooms, it will be the most beautiful of them all."
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If we live our lives comparing ourselves to others and focusing on our failures, we will never learn to bloom where we are planted. In college, it is so easy to compare yourself to everyone else. They have an internship or just got engaged. We look at everyone's timeline and expect our's to match. If it doesn't, we feel like we are behind or not succeeding. The timeline of life does not impact the production of our future.
4. "You are a disgrace! You may look like a bride, but you will never bring your family honor!"
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Appearances are something everyone focuses on in themselves. We are concerned with our hair looking a certain way or how our clothes look. Mulan looked like a bride. She looked confident and ready for a new chapter in her life. Just because her looks were there on the outside didn't mean the inside matched. Don't worry about your appearance, but rather how people see your heart, your ambitions, and goals, your values.
5. "No matter how the wind howls, the mountain cannot bow to it."
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You are always in control of your emotions and responses. You always have the choice to determine how you react to every event. In college, it is so easy to let a bad exam grade or hard class ruin the rest of our day or experience in that class. That grade did not make you feel upset without you giving permission for it to do so. Stand strong and never allow anyone's wind to make your mountain bow to it.
6. "A single grain of rice can tip the scale. One man may be the difference between victory and defeat."
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Even when you feel like you are the only one standing up for something, keep fighting. You can tip the scale. One smile can turn someone's entire day around. It can tip their scale. One person can tip the scale and change the world.
7. "When will my reflection show who I am inside?"
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When we finally come to the realization that appearances are not everything, we see that our values and ambitions are far more important. In college, we are so eager to start a career and impact the world. That takes time and often times we are impatient. Even if our reflection doesn't show the passion we have inside, we need to be patient and wait for that spark to ignite.
8. "Maybe I didn't go for my father. Maybe what I really wanted was to prove I can do things right."
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This quote from Hua Mulan sums up her entire quest to find her identity. She saw the injustice of her father having to fight and she took his place. Her elderly father already fought for China and was frail. In college, we see many things that are unjust. Things that we want to change. Mulan stood up and pursued change for what she believed in, and found herself in the process.
9. "Treacherous snake!"
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When people push you down for protecting what you love, get back up and keep fighting. Let those negative comments be the fuel that ignites you. Again, you must know your worth and cling to it in times when the world seems out to get you. Know who you are.
10. "Let's go kick some Honey buns!"
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Following number 9, pick yourself up and go kick some honey buns! Mushu is not just Mulan's sidekick and guardian, he is her friend. Surround yourself with friends who will fight for you, always. Mushu had her back when she was at her lowest and when she was at her highest. Know the value of your friends and be a "Mushu" for them.
