Joy is the newest movie directed by David O. Russell that stars it-girl Jennifer Lawrence. Although the movie mopped up mediocre reviews, it is the perfect movie to inspire college students to kick ass spring semester.

David O. Russell and Jennifer Lawrence are the power couple of the big screen, with 18 Oscar nominations between them. They have worked together on the critically acclaimed Silver Linings Playbook and the Oscar winning American Hustle. This set the bar high for Joy.

Joy is a biopic loosely based on Joy Mangano and her invention of the Miracle Mop. It also focuses on the early days of QVC and how it revolutionized home shopping. Jennifer Lawrence, who is 25, plays a divorced single mother of two in her mid-thirties. The fact that Lawrence is obviously too young for her role combined with a lack of a strong story line made for some weak reviews after opening weekend.

Even though Joy might not have been a breakthrough hit for movie critics, after watching the movie I think every college student needs to watch the film merely for motivation. I am not an expert on cinematography, but I do know that when I walked out of the theater I thought I could rule the world, and maybe two other planets, if I simply had the dedication and drive for it.

Joy Mangano went from being a broke single mom in severe debt to being the star of QVC. She invented and patented the most famous self-wringing mop and didn’t stop until she was an entrepreneurial goddess. She never ever took no for an answer, and that is a reminder every college student needs.

I may have been slightly emotional after a fall semester from hell, which included 18 credit hours, a part time job and one hospital visit, but the feelings I got from watching Joy were just what I needed. Sometimes being a college student is one of the most discouraging things I’ve ever encountered. We are always told we aren’t good enough; we’re reminded of the crippling debt daily and there is always the looming fact that we are entering a terrible job market. On top of this, we live in a society of Kardashians, reality stars and game shows. Rarely are we reminded that it is possible to succeed with real hard work. Not luck or fairy tales, but hard work that involves the late nights and early mornings every student knows.

Joy is a movie that doesn’t glorify being famous from doing virtually nothing or happening to be at the right place at the right time. Joy shows us that not every victory is handed to you, and it takes blood sweat and tears to get what you truly want. That’s the message we all need to take on Spring 2016.