Lady Gaga has always been more than just a popstar. The important thing about Lady Gaga is just how dynamic of a public figure she is. She went from being solely about looks and pop music to breaking societal rules by wearing a meat dress or dressing up as a man for her “You and I” debut. In the beginning of her career, Gaga revealed how she was bullied in high school. In fact, she actually says she got thrown into a dumpster by other kids. On top of this, for her first few years of fame, Gaga was called a man by many critics. Regardless of what others said about her, Gaga kept persevering. Now, Gaga has released pop albums, a jazz album, and her most recent album, Joanne, which is completely different than anything else she has ever wrote. She has starred in American Horror Story twice, performed at the Super Bowl, and is currently practicing her role in an upcoming film. All of this, while remaining true to her fans, friends, family, and above all, herself.

So what I’m getting at with all of this, is that if you have not watched her latest documentary “Gaga: Five Foot Two” then I think you are really missing out. It shows all that Lady Gaga does in a day while suffering from a chronic illness fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia have a variety of symptoms, many being enhanced by overworking one’s self or being stressed. Judging by all of Gaga’s successes and her average days, her career could not make this illness easier. It makes people who are not fans appreciate and respect the strength of this woman, who has progressed so abundantly in her career.

It is important to remember that we are not exempt from pain life throws at us, no matter how rich or famous we are. The authenticity in Gaga’s documentary shows this. While all we see is the success and stardom, she is going through personal issues of her own. Gaga shares emotional moments with her family, how her and Taylor ended their engagement, and a never-ending battle with her chronic illness and the treatments for it. I believe what we can all take away from this documentary is that success is not consistent or easy. There are going to be things always going on in our personal lives which we must face. That does not mean we should stop trying to reach our goals. In fact, maybe by using that pain, we can convert it to something we feel passionate about. For example, there was one scene in this documentary which Gaga breaks down and cries and then goes into a meeting to discuss the origin of her new album. This shows that sometimes we must keep going and striving for greatness. This lesson is especially helpful to college students.

While in college, we experience stress like no other. I know sometimes for me I am up by seven in the morning and don’t get back home until ten at night. College can be challenging. It pushes you in ways you never thought you would be driven. However, looking back, I know college has changed me for the better. I am no longer that timid, shy freshman who came into college but someone who can have courage and learn how to cope with stress while getting everything done that I need to. Gaga: Five Foot Two has a lesson for each of us: Don’t stop just because things get tough.