Since summer started, I've had time to catch up on rest, relaxation and doing some of the things I love, but don't have much time for while I'm at school. That means movies.

I've always loved stories: books, movies, TV shows, writing things of my own and talking to friends and family. Movies have always had a big place in my life, and in my childhood home. My family watched movies together when I was growing up; my dad likes classic movies and things with a lot of plot, my mom loves '80s action flicks and sci-fi and my brother liked anything that looked like an adventure and had cool fight scenes. I loved some of it all. Movies were something we all shared, and continue to share. My love of movies has evolved over time. Last semester, I took a screenwriting class and I am now 30-plus pages into writing my own screenplay.

All this got me thinking about the movies I watched growing up, and some of my tried-and-true favorites. I've collected here nine of the films I watched again and again as a kid and in my angst-filled teenage years. This group has something to do with love, which seems to be a running trend in movies I like and even now in the one I'm writing. These films and the ideas they present have taught me a lot, even though I didn't realize it at the time I first watched them. Maybe you'll see a movie you too loved and learned from, or maybe you'll notice one you've never seen before.

So, here are nine of the movies I hold dear and the lessons they taught me.

1. "Clueless"

Sluts, prudes...not words anyone wants to be described with and not words we should use to describe each other. Cher showed me that having standards and sticking to them is nothing wrong. In fact, it's one of the best things you can do for yourself. It's okay to be picky if you're staying true to who you are and what you want, especially when it comes to relationships.

2. "The Breakfast Club"

Although the main focus of the story isn't romantic relationships, I maintain that it's still a movie about love. About (on some level) coming to love people you thought you never could, on top of loving yourself and in doing so letting others love you, too. Bender is my favorite character in the film; he showed me that self-worth is something we all struggle with. But at the same time, he was unapologetic about who we was, and made no mind of what other people thought of him. Sometimes we all need a little more blind confidence in ourselves.

3. "Romeo + Juliet"

Baz Luhrman's version of the Shakespearean classic taught me that Leonardo DiCaprio is and will always be the '90s heartthrob of my dreams. But, aside from that, it drove home the idea that loving someone, having them love you back and making that vow to one another, changes everything.

4. "Lethal Weapon"

Besides being one of my favorite Christmas movies, this '80s action flick taught me a lot about friendship and finding buddies in unlikely circumstances. Murtaugh showed me that you're never really too old for this shit, as long as you have a partner who's got your back.

5. "Sixteen Candles"

This line has always stuck with me, for whatever reason. Maybe it's because it's true. Anyway, this '80s rom-com starring a young Molly Ringwald was a nice departure in that it showed the sucky side of being 16 and having a crush. It's really relatable, but also left me with the upbeat notion that, even if your family does forget your birthday, good things are right around the corner. In Molly Ringwald's case, right across the street leaning against a red sports car.

6. "10 Things I Hate About You"

This is one of those lines that hit me like a brick wall and has been imprinted on my brain ever since. Although young Heath Ledger said it to baby Joseph Gordon Levitt in the context of girls and relationships, it applies to so much more. Going after what you want is a huge part of a good life, but having the guts to believe in yourself and what you want, without letting anyone convince you otherwise, is the remaining piece.

7. "Ferris Beuller's Day Off"

This is a line that resonated with a lot of people, and is still making an impression (although many younger people may not realize it's from this movie). Even though it's been turned into a bit of a cliche, it's still really important to stop and smell the roses, the coffee grounds or whatever. We spend, or at least I spend, so much time waiting and pushing to get to the next thing, wondering when "life" will really begin. But in doing that, we miss what our lives actually are and that's too bad.

8. "Say Anything"

The first time I watched this movie, I didn't care about it at all. Maybe I didn't finish it. The second time, probably seven or eight years later, I fell in love with it. There were things about both Lloyd and Dianne that I related to, and this scene, where Dianne goes back to Lloyd, was the best and most heartbreaking thing. Sometimes you need to make sure the person really needs you and not just anyone. Other times, the fact that they need someone and chose you to be that someone is enough.

9. "Thelma and Louise"

This one has been in my list of favorites since the first time I saw it in high school. I feel like I am Louise, and like I know Thelma. This movie has everything -- tragedy, comedy, drama, love, a young Brad Pitt. Two badass women who love each other and do what they need to do to take care of themselves, regardless of the people (in this case, men) who try to hold them back. It's all about what women can do for women, and what women can do for themselves. If you haven't seen it, then put it at the top of your to-watch list.

These are some of my favorites, and all hold ideas that I keep in the back of my mind and close to my heart. These last few weeks of summer, take some time to enjoy the films here or to find others you enjoy! No matter what, spend the end of the break doing something you love. Happy watching!