The '90s gave us some amazing movies. More than that, many of the classic '90s films provided the generation with invaluable life lessons. Yes, I am serious. There are lessons to be learned from Clueless, Empire Records, and The Sandlot – especially The Sandlot! Heroes get remembered, legends never die! Ahem. But anyway. In the course of re-watching my favorite '90s movies, I discovered that I learned every lesson I needed to learn from these flicks. Don't worry. I got proof.
Sometimes, in fact, you can worry and wonder about something so long, you build it up to be something so much bigger than it really is. You see a monster in your mind, but in reality, you're afraid of a big, friendly, drooling dog. Nothing is ever as scary as it seems in your mind.
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Until you hit your 30s, anyway. I dreaded my 30s all through my 20s, but so far, my 30s are seventy-seven thousand times better than my post-college fall into adulthood.
And it probably – probably – won't end well. I mean, you may end up together forever, that's entirely possible, but there's no guarantee. Well, except for the fact that you'll at least harbor a crush on your bestie at some point.
Okay, that's probably a gross exaggeration, but on the average? Totally true. Facebook tells me as much every day. I shamefully admit that I laugh with glee every time. I am probably a bad person – but I'm thriving, baby!
Don't. They won't understand. These days, no one can understand how or why all my friends call me Beavis in high school. (Hint: it's because I liked Beavis and Butthead. A lot. Like a shameful lot.)
Especially when you make a sacrifice for someone you love. I think that's the true measure of how much you care about someone, actually – how much you're willing to sacrifice for them.
You can get through the hardest things. You won't feel that way when you're going through them, but you are so much stronger than you think.
Even the cynical can discover something that gives them a reason to open up. Now excuse me. I need … I need to go watch Can't Hardly Wait again … because '90s Seth Green is my husband.
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So follow your passions, always, but be realistic about them.
You can always find a solution to your problems … even if it's a little slapstick. Just rely on your strength. The world may be falling apart around you, but you don't have to.
It won't always end well, but that's okay. You can't learn to trust your instincts without making a mistake every so often.
Sadly, it probably won't be Johnny Depp, but somewhere out there, someone whose weirdness matches your weirdness is waiting for you.
You are wonderful. Beautiful. Magnificent. Don't give anyone the power to tear you down. You're worth so much more than that.
They really do pop up in places you'd never imagine. I met one of my best friends at a funeral.
Even if you're weird. Especially if you're weird, actually. Who else can be you if you're not you?
But there's still no crying in baseball, okay?
Love is ageless. You might fall in love again when you're 80 years old.
Did you learn any life lessons from your favorite '90s movies?