The summer is now over which means soon you will embark on your journey as a college freshmen. That said, what better way to get excited about your future “college adventures” than by watching some favorite college-themed flicks that were made to give students a little taste of campus life? While some of the movies that made this list aren’t exactly “realistic” interpretations of what your college experience will be like, they’re still a great way to have a laugh or two.
Accepted: Starring Jonah Hill, Justin Long, Blake Lively (2006)
Plot: When high school senior Bartleby “B” Gaines gets rejected by every college he applies to, he decides to trick his parents by enrolling in South Harmon Institute of Technology—an illegitimate college he creates from an abandoned building near his hometown. Soon it becomes home to all rejects eager to enrich their minds.
Lesson: Just a reminder of how fortunate you are to call yourself a college student—no matter if you’re at an Ivy League, state college, or community college.
Old School: Starring Will Ferrell, Vince Vaughn, Luke Wilson (2003)
Plot: Three deadbeat 30-somethings become disenchanted with “adult life” and decide to relive their college glory days and create a new fraternity. Naturally the trio encounters hysterical mishaps along the way.
Lesson: Enjoy college life to the fullest while you’re a student— you don’t want to look back with regrets.
Animal House, Staring John Belushi (1978)
Plot: It’s a terrible cliché, but what list wouldn’t be complete without Animal House—the movie that set the foundation for most college-themed movies. It has everything you could ask for: frat wars, debauchery, and great one-liners. When Dean Vernon Wormer tries to shut down the campus frat house, mischief begins.
Lesson: Team work is awesome.
Good Will Hunting, Staring Matt Damon, Robin Williams, Ben Affleck (1997)
Plot: Will Hunting, a troubled 20-year-old janitor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is a secret math wiz. Though not formally enrolled in MIT, Hunting solves an exceptionally hard math problem written on one a professor’s chalk board during his late-night shift. Hunting struggles coming to terms with his ingenious mind and seeks the help of a psychologist.
The Social Network, Staring Jessie Eisenberg, Andre Garfield, and Justin Timberlake
Plot: In the confinements of his dorm room, Mark Zuckerberg creates the social media networking site the whole world grows to love: Facebook.
Lesson learned: Your potential is endless. You could be the next Mark Zuckerberg.
Honorable Mentions: The Rules of Attraction, Back to School, The Water Boy, Wonder Boys, PCU, American Pie 2, Sure Thing, Van Wylder, the Playboy Bunny Stomp the Yard, Revenge of the Nerds, The Graduate, Real Genius , School Dayz, Road Trip, Legally Blonde.
What movies didn’t make the cut that should have? Feel free to leave comments.
Teen guy watching television photo courtesy of Shutterstock. Visit Stephanie’s website at www.top10onlineuniversities.org,
I never get tired of Old School. I totally forgot about Accepted, I need to re-watch that one of these days. Good stuff.