My time at Tualatin has been amazing. Although, just like most seniors, I was sad that out of every year, of course, my senior year was the one to be cut short. However, I don’t carry regrets with me about my time at TuHS. Next year I will be majoring in film and it is something I have known I wanted to do since I was 10 years old. I always found movies to be my source of comfort, almost as if I was transported to another world and got to experience someone else’s life for a good two hours. While in quarantine, I reflected on my time as a TTSD student and connected it with some of my favorite movies. These next four movies I am about to share represent my four years at Tualatin. Also, if you have not watched these films yet, then get on it.

1. Whiplash
Whiplash tells the story of a young man named Andrew Neiman as he wants to become the best drummer in his jazz music conservatory; however, his teacher finds ways to tear him down emotionally. What connects me to Whiplash is Andrews’s constant questioning if he is good at what he does. At Tualatin, sometimes it is hard to be confident, but this movie, much like my life, shows that one must just do the best they can.

2. Us
Jordan Peele’s Us is a masterpiece. Although Get Out is also a masterpiece and it is my favorite of the two, Us was easier to connect to my high school experience. Us is about the fight that a person has with their inner demons, but their inner demons are in the form of clones. In high school, my battle with my mental health felt like I was fighting my own evil twin. When looking back on it, me dealing with my mental health in high school made me realize that I must be appreciative of the happier moments and not let my anxiety win. Just like in the movie, instead of letting my inner demons destroy my life, I let them shape me into who I am. It also doesn’t hurt that the lead actress’s name is Lupita!

3. Ratatouille
The best Pixar movie is Ratatouille, and no one can tell me otherwise. This movie about a little rat who wants to be a chef is surprisingly connected to my high school experience so much. The main character, Remy, wants to be the best cook and doesn’t let him being a rat get in his way. Even though I have known what I wanted to study and do with my life since the age of 10, I wouldn’t have been confident in my decision without Tualatin. Just like Remy, it took the guidance of my friends and my teachers to get me to realize that I was going on the right path.

4. Sing Street
Now my dream since freshman year was to have a band much like they do in this film. Although that dream of mine was never accomplished, this movie is truly a reflection of the way my friends and I are. We are all so different, yet we come together, not to create music, but to have a good time. I am also sure that my friends would be down to start a band anyway, even if it just was to impress someone.