5 Life Lessons we can learn from the Monster University

It all happened very quickly.

I was back in Singapore on Saturday night from a week in KL and while as I was doing my usual stalking on Facebook, I found my whole newsfeed filled with countless raves about Monster University. Pardon me for I am someone with little acquaintances with movies and cinemas in my childhood days, I didn’t know what Monster University was, and of course, I never knew it’s the prequel of Monster  Inc (2001). So I did my research and found that it’s a new movie recently opened in the theaters. Looks cute. Looks familiar. Monsters…

So Sunday morning I told Shawn about how this whole Monster University thingy is taking over the #sghaze trending on my newsfeed and he went ‘ OH IT’S SHOWING? LET’S GO WATCH IT! ‘ So we planned to watch it that every evening but went back home to have dinner first. Over dinner, we asked his sister if she wants to join us. The movie once again proved it’s popularity – she had already watched it. And she went on talking about how magical the movie was, with little pockets of scenes here and there explaining why things happened they way they happened in Monster Inc.

Monster Inc?

Yes, Monster Inc. This one below.

So it was revealed in a somewhat shocking manner to my Boyfriend’s family that I have not watched Monster Inc and his sister said I have to watch it before I head on to watch the Monster University Movie. As if it’s part of the plan, they happened to have the movie DVD so cinema plans were cancelled and I spent the rest of the evening at home living the parts of my childhood I had once missed.

A reminder, that was Sunday.

And this afternoon, which is a Monday by the way, Shawn spotted some great movie timing that happened to fit our schedules so we went on to watch Monster University. I am so glad I’ve watched Monster Inc first. So my dear readers, if you have not watched Monster Inc, please DO NOT watch Monster University first. You’ll just lose the magical effect the movie has. 🙂

 I came out of the movie feeling immediately inspired, having learnt 5 very important life lessons. I share because I care 🙂

1) There are some things you are just not meant to be. It happens sometimes, and when it happens to you, you just move on.

I have a childhood friend whose parents are both surgical doctors in a local hospital and all these while since young, she thought she would be like them, grow up and become a well-known doctor saving people’s lives. That’s her aspiration since young, strong and clear – I want to be a doctor. I’ve known her since primary school and I even I thought that that’s her destiny – She is going to grow up to become a doctor.

But she didn’t! We lost touch during JC & University days and when we finally met up again after finding each other on Facebook, she’s now studying accounting! Now what happened?! To get into a medical school, you’ve got to have good grades and she worked very hard. She aimed to get into the best schools and built her path since young, just like Mike Wazowski who got inspired to be a Scarer and worked through his life just to get into Monster University. But some things are just not meant to be; just like how Mike Wazowski was never meant to be a scarer because he’s too cute looking to be one, my friend was never meant to be a doctor because she is Haemophobic.

But the real lesson here is to learn how you’ll always end up in a better place when you keep moving forward, no matter what. Mike Wazowski was beaten by reality the hard way no doubt, however, he picked himself up quickly, changed his mindset and moved on. Just like my friend who did not just quit school and stopped education altogether. She became an accountant instead, another highly regarded occupation.

 

2) Point 1 happens BECAUSE you are special in your own way.

You have your own niche. Although Mike Wazowski was not meant to be a scarer, he actually has the perfect cut to be a coach! To teach the best, in this case James P. Sullivan, how to become even better. A not so scary guy teaching the scariest guy how to be even more scary. Now how good is that? I like that, and just because things do not happen the way you wanted it to be, it’s not the end of the world. God made us all special in our own way to serve in our own little niche, build it and then make it BIG. When that happens, you will know you are on the right path and in a even better world.

3) Your class does not determine your success. In the end you’ll need to pave your own path.

James P. Sullivan was born into the Sullivan family, family of great scaring history. So he walked into the university thinking all he did was his family background and social position to make it through the first semester. He didn’t even bring a pencil! Because of his family class, he was also invited to join Roar Omega Roar, the top fraternity on campus. However, at the end of the day, he was kicked out of the fraternity and out of the monster university. James P. Sullivan had little abilities, knowledge and character, something ‘Class’ does not assure a new-born of.

Also in the movie, Roar Omega Roar, the top fraternity on campus lost to the Oozma Kappa in the Annual Scare Games, a fraternity of misfit monsters always laughed at and bullied. So entering yourself into a class, again, does not determine your success.

Your success and it’s longevity is paved by and determined by yourself.

4) It’s ok to admit that you need somebody. Just say it.

You know how James P. Sullivan was such a sucked up arrogant jerk in a big strong body endowed to him since he was born? Yet everyone have their weakest and most needy moment and so does James P. Sullivan. Towards the end of the movie, James P. Sullivan was humbled and he knew that he could never have successfully walked out of the Human World without Mike Wazowski. He begged Mike Wazowski to stay and become his forever buddy, admitting that he realized he needs Mike.

Now think about it. What is he NEVER admit that? He would have been lost, wondering back home, defeated, maybe even wasted, wishing every single day how she should have stopped and speak to Mike! He would have never made it into the Scare Factory and Monster Inc would not have been even POSSIBLE!!!! OK sorry I am going too far 😛

Moving on to my last point now 🙂

5) You can always work your way up! Seek excellence while you are at it!

So Mike Wazowski and  James P. Sullivan were kicked out of the Monster University, they couldn’t go home, they really wanted to work in the Scare Factory as Scarers, so they went in and worked in the Mail Room. Then they worked hard, become the Top Mail Room boys  and got promoted to do something else in the company. This went on and repeated, from cleaners to cafe servers to rollers and then finally, Scarers, topping the board everything for the promotion, always striving towards their final destination. 🙂

Awww… Monster University is such a friendly and touching movie 🙂 It’s a 5 Stars movie for me and a must watch for everyone else!

 

Tags: Sunny Singapore, Weekends