On Jan. 20, 2006 arguably the greatest made for TV movie ever was released. The film that defined our generation officially turned 10. That's right, happy birthday "High School Musical." In honor of the milestone, here are five of the most memorable moments and what we learned from them.
1. The night it all started.
Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez were magically thrown together by the universe to sing for the first time on New Year's Eve, and it was truly the start of something new. We're reminded that sometimes the best things come into our lives when we're least expecting them, and often in forms we could never anticipate.
2. Get you head in the game.
In our teen heart throb's first big number, Troy started to see that having a role in the musical while leading his team and maintaining a relationship with Gabriella will be testing. Spreading yourself too thin is a risk, but is it worse than sacrificing the things we love? Troy teaches us that we can pursue everything we are passionate about, as long as we seek balance and our focus is in the right place at the right time.
3. Stick to the status quo?
I think we can all agree you went into high school secretly hoping that everyone might burst out into song with perfectly choreographed dance moves in the cafeteria on any given Tuesday. By doing something completely unexpected, Troy and Gabriella inspired the rest of the school to follow their dreams, even if it goes against expectations and stereotypes. An important lesson, as we're often all too concerned with our peers opinions.
4. Callbacks.
First, Sharpay tried to manipulate things so that she and Ryan would be guaranteed lead roles in the musical, but our heroes prove that with a little determination and thinking outside the box, you can make things work in the face of adversity.
Then, "Breaking Free" is not only one of the movies most memorable moments, but it shows viewers that amazing things can happen with a little courage. Troy and Gabriella went against the status quo, stepped outside their comfort zones, faced their fears, and ended up bringing the entire school together with some beautiful music.
5. We're all in this together.
Don't lie to yourself, you knew the dance and so did all your friends, you probably still know the dance. The Wildcats won the championships against the West High Knights in basketball and academic decathlon, how could you not celebrate? When unlikely friends put their heads together everything worked out in the end, showing us the power of teamwork and determination.Luckily, the success of the first movie lead to two more, filled with Troy and Gabriela reaching couples goals the world didn't think possible.
Can I have this dance? Yes, you can, Zac Efron, yes you can.
"High School Musical" taught us to take risks, follow our hearts, and above anything else, to be yourself. Ten years later, we still love it.