<*>Major</*>: Mechanical Engineering
<*>Inspired by</*>: Inspector Gadget""
A hat helicopter? Giant bouncy legs? A Swiss Army Knife contained in my ring finger? Although no one wants to be an outcast or a freak, the wonders of engineering gave Matthew Broderick's bumbling security guard a new lease on life. Plus, I would love my car to regularly dispense candy from the dashboard, all while sassing me in the voice of D.L. Hughley.
- oKevin Slane
<*>Major:</*> Music
Inspired by: ""Mr. Holland's Opus""
I first saw this movie when I was six years old, and I was instantly enamored with the way Mr. Holland (Richard Dreyfuss) took high school students' nonchalance toward music and transformed it into passion. The film's connection between playing music and wholehearted emotion might be cliché, but it is truly powerful. The scene where Holland tells a struggling woodwind player not to merely read the notes on the page but to ""play a sunset"" has always been a point of inspiration for me. Even at a young age this movie helped me to realize I've always wanted to include music as an important part of my life.
- oKatie Foran-McHale
<*>Major:</*> Mechanical Engineering and Dance
<*>Inspired by:</*> ""The Goonies""
The gadgets and gizmos that helped Corey Feldman and '""friends discover a pirate ship inspired me to work'""with mechanics when I was young. I didn't have the same'""success as Dana, but I am still considering a certificate in Dance with the Truffle Shuffle as my specialty.
- oMegan Corbett
<*>Major:</*> Psychology
<*>Inspired by:</*> ""The Silence of the Lambs""
I was scared into studying psychology by ""Silence of the Lambs."" I figured that on the off chance I ever encountered an insane-but-brilliant cannibal, a Psych degree would allow me to outsmart him in his mind games. I'm not sure if I'm prepared for an encounter with Hannibal Lecter yet, but I'm pretty confident I could outsmart Buffalo Bill and that stupid, yappy dog of his.
- oTodd Stevens
<*>Major:</*> Journalism
<*>Inspired by:</*> ""Never Been Kissed""
A journalist's true purpose is not fulfilled until a story is told, the truth is uncovered and she gets her first kiss in the middle of a baseball field... right? At least this is what I thought when my 11-year-old self saw Josie Gellar (Drew Barrymore) locking lips with Sam (Michael Vartan) in ""Never Been Kissed.""
When Gellar dresses up as a high school student for an undercover story, she must ditch her geeky new pals to uncover what's going on in the popular crowd. Chaos ensues, but all is forgiven in the end, just like any self-respecting romantic comedy. Still, the way Josie uses her front-page story to lure her teacher to the mound in those crucial final seconds made me realize I wanted to be a reporter just like her.
- oMarly Schuman
<*>Major:</*> Undecided
<*>Inspired by:</*> ""High Fidelity"" and ""Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind""
To me there is nothing more endearing than the lovable loser, the Rob Gordons or Joel Barishes of the world (respectively from ""High Fidelity"" and ""Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind""). These men have romantic aspirations but no ambition, and they have inspired me to become a nice guy with no major. Neither character has pre-med credentials nor lots of money, but they are intelligent guys with good senses of humor. They were shy and misunderstood by women, but audiences knew they would find someone to put up with their music snobbery and spaced-out attitude because they were such good guys underneath.
- oAnthony Cefali
<*>Major:</*> Film
<*>Inspired by:</*> ""Disaster Movie""
""Disaster Movie"" is hardly considered a classic in most film circles. In fact, it's not considered a classic in any circles. Because it sucks. But, directors Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer have shown me that with a shoe-string budget, no script and a movie based entirely on current pop culture references, you can make millions. So Hollywood, here I come!
- oKevin Slane
'""<*>Major:</*> Rockstar Extraordinaire
<*>Inspired by:</*> ""Almost Famous""
Drawn to the energy, drama, tension, exhaustion and, most importantly, the stardom surrounding this entire film, I was certain I was wasting my time in lectures and labs. So without a whole lot of consideration, I quit school and became the front-woman of a local rock band. Man, that turned out to be a huge mistake. Don't believe everything you see in the movies.
- oSara Barreau
<*>Major:</*> Religious Studies
<*>Inspired by:</*> ""Kundun""
During my freshman year I watched the movie ""Kundun,"" causing my seemingly straightforward path in life to change forever.
This Martin Scorsese film tells the story of the 14th Dalai Lama's childhood from the time of his selection to his eventual exile from Tibet. This movie demonstrates the incredible beauty and richness that can be found within Buddhism. It also helps provide a basic historical foundation for the Chinese-Tibetan conflict of today.
After seeing Kundun, I left my previous life as a medical microbiology and immunology major studying parasites to a religious studies major studying Buddhism.
- oSimon Dick
<*>Major:</*> Political Science (Prelaw)
<*>Inspired by:</*> ""Legally Blonde""
Reese Witherspoon showed the world in this film that a can-do attitude, combined with careful color coordination can take a girl far. Plus, with her role in the dark comedy, ""Election,"" Witherspoon had already showcased her political savvy, albeit in a different manner. Who knew lawyers could be so spunky?
- oKevin Slane
