Wednesday, July 13th, 2016 was the 15-year anniversary of one of the most iconic movies of all time, Legally Blonde. It is the story of Elle Woods, played by the stunning Reese Witherspoon. Elle is a young college student desperate to get the love of her life back by gaining acceptance into Harvard Law School. Throughout her journey, Elle faces many obstacles, many of which because she is deemed "too blonde." However, with her determination, perseverance and hair care rules from Cosmopolitan magazine, she conquers everything in her way.
My first time watching "Legally Blonde" was late in elementary school after being persuaded by my mom. My relationship with the movie is very similar to Elle Woods' journey. At first, I only viewed this film as a source of entertainment with very little useful value, similar to many peoples' viewpoints on shows like "Dance Moms" and "Keeping Up with the Kardashians." I thoroughly enjoyed myself watching the movie, thanked my mom for the recommendation and forgot about the story of this Delta Nu sister.
Fast forward three years later to the beginning of high school. Transitioning from middle to high school can be rough for anyone. Unfortunately, I was struggling more than usual with time management and the general stress that comes with being a student at a competitive high school. This was a terrible blow to my already low self-esteem and made the fearful concept of getting into college seem like an even bigger obstacle in my mind. I had always dreamed of attending a top university, but closed myself off to those options without even exploring them due to my lack of confidence. Thankfully, that all changed on a particularly stressful weekend.
Like many weekends, I spent my Friday evening with the Northview High School Marching Band at one of our football games. I got home sometime near midnight, took a shower and went to bed. However, my slumber was anything but peaceful. Like my dad, I have trouble sleeping if I am under stress. Despite being tired, I was not able to convince my body to rest just at the thought of the amount of work I had to finish by Monday. Tons of homework, research for Model UN and practicing piano being just a few things on my long list of to-dos. Finally getting a few hours sleep, I woke up on Saturday determined to work at my most efficient self. By six or seven in the evening, I was completely brain-dead. Deciding I needed a break, I chose to watch "Legally Blonde" for the second time.
The next 97 minutes did much more than provide a break from my obligations. Clearly, I had underestimated this movie. Watching Elle Woods work past all of her obstacles was one of the most inspiring experiences of my life. She accomplished things no one thought she could, simply because she learned how to believe in herself while remaining a great person. What exactly makes Elle Woods so great? Primarily, her go-getter attitude. She never stopped working for something that she wanted, even if it seemed like a Herculean task. Many girls attempt various methods to get their boyfriends back, but only someone unique would go that extra mile and work towards getting into Harvard Law School. This attitude is what truly made her special and inspired me that if I work hard enough, I can achieve all of my dreams. Futhermore, Elle Woods was able to break out of the stereotypes the world had set for her. Sure she was a rich, blonde, fashion-obsessed girl but she was also many more things. It's not everyday that you see a fashion major getting a 179 on her LSATs and graduating Harvard Law School with an invitation to join one of Boston's most prestigious law firms. All of these qualities make Elle great, but her most valuable is her kindness. No matter what life throws at her, she never became bitter or stopped being a good person. In fact, she even managed to befriend Vivian Kensington, a girl that made it her mission to bully Elle when she began her time at Harvard. Watching this movie, I had gained a truly inspirational role model.
When I look back on this tale of how I got my inspiration, it seems like a silly story to me too, but this movie taught me some of life's most important lessons. The first being never to trust first impressions. Just as everyone in the movie, even Elle's parents, viewed her as a dumb blonde capable only of being pretty, I thought of "Legally Blonde" as a dumb movie with no value other than entertainment. But my second time watching the movie was an entirely different experience. I gained one of life's most important commodities: confidence, just by watching Elle's journey. Rewatching that movie, I learned that there is more to everything that meets the eye. But most importantly, I learned not to doubt myself. If Elle Woods can do it, so can I.
The inspiration I gained from "Legally Blonde" has stayed with and will stay with me forever. Instead of settling, that movie taught me that I can do much more than I imagined. Elle Woods made my vague dream of getting into a top college and accomplishing great things seem like a possibility in my mind instead of a distant impossibility; she gave me a much needed boost of confidence. Every once in a while, I rewatch "Legally Blonde" to remind myself that even I can accomplish great things. Everyday, I thank Elle Woods for teaching me that "you must always have faith in people, [but] most importantly, you must always have faith in yourself."
