It’s hard to believe someone that hasn’t seen or at least heard some quotes from the movie, Elf. But, just because you aren’t in the holiday-cheery mood yet, doesn’t mean you have to be a “cotton-headed ninny-muggins!” We can take away some pretty important life lessons from the movie Elf.
Buddy the elf said, “If you can sing alone, you can sing in front of other people. There’s no difference.” He teaches us that we should always be ourselves and to not let anything get in the way of that!
At Monmouth, we are incredibly fortunate enough to be able to join an insane amount of clubs or intramural sports from a wide variety of interests. From Club Volleyball, to Spanish Club, to Greek Life, all the way back to Student Activities Board (SAB), there is something that can suit every single interest.
While we aren’t elves who “try to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup” like Buddy, we do get the chance to splurge on some good food every so often- we deserve it!
With our Monmouth ID, we are able to get a significant amount of discounts through different places such as McDonald’s, Bubbakoo’s, Houlihan’s and even Amazon Prime! Surely, we don’t have to splurge on syrup and candy canes, but getting a discount on foods we wouldn’t normally have the opportunity to go out and splurge on is something we should take into consideration.
In the Winter, especially for some people as we near the end of the semester, it’s easy to get dreary, sad, and a little overwhelmed. Buddy reminds us that we should remember to have his outlook on life: “I just like to smile! Smiling’s my favorite.”
Seasonal depression creeps its way into the minds of many as the winter cold washes over us. Sinking into the more comfortable and melancholy moods becomes easier as the days mesh into one, but, just smiling, even if it be randomly, actually helps our mood elevate even if for a moment.
On campus, during finals time, we have opportunities to de-stress from the trying days of preparing for the end of the semester. There are events such as the de-stress fest, puppies in the library, yoga for stress and so on and so forth. Taking advantage of these events helps remind us to take care of our mental health just as much as we should take care of our physical health.
The entire moral of Elf, is to take risks. Buddy said, “Papa says my real father lives in a magical place far away…but the thing is, I’ve never left the North Pole.” The same could be said of many students at Monmouth.
Taking risks is part of our everyday life; we take risks when we get in a car and drive, we take risks when we walk across the parking lot, and so on and so forth, but we, as a community, tend to shy away from the proposed ‘bigger’ risks.
Personally, I took a big risk in my life last semester: I took the chance and studied abroad for spring break in London, UK. And as much as I was homesick, I realized how this was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Our study abroad opportunities are limitless at Monmouth; whether you wish to go to Spain, the UK, or Italy, you can do it! If you’d rather stay on this side of the water, there are limitless internship opportunities.
Lastly, Elf teaches us that we can’t ever give up. Buddy said, “I passed through the seven levels of the Candy Cane forest, through the sea of swirly twirly gum drops, and then I walked through the Lincoln Tunnel.” Surely, we won’t be travelling through any candy forests or gum drop lands, but, if Buddy the Elf can survive through his trek to New York, we can survive just about anything.
Finals week alone is tough, but realizing that this will all end up being worth it should take precedence over any of our doubts. Our opportunity to further our education at such a unique and accepting university is something some kids only dream of.
Monmouth University has proven to be such a wonderful campus what with its educated and well-rounded faculty and staff, limitless resources, and beautiful campus, we truly could compare it to the North Pole: filled with plenty of life, love, and opportunities one could only dream of.
