Live uni like a movie: Five film quotes to get you through second term

Movies often provide us with idealised and impossible experiences, whilst we go through the monotonous cycle of the university week – seemingly unable to meet the demands of a feature film. But why not? Why not raise the standard of our lives to that of a movie? Being the Richard Curtis of our uni life and romanticising it could be the answer to curing those second term blues, and redeeming any regretful boredom from first term. As someone who loves the world of cinema, here are five film quotes to help you change your perspective on uni life and direct your second term into a cinematic masterpiece. 

“I just try to live every day as if I’ve deliberately come back to this one day” – About Time (2013)

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Hearing echoes of “I can’t wait for the weekend” reverberating through the crowded streets of Woodland Road and Tyndall’s park, is certainly not the most positive thing to hear or think on a Monday morning. While many of us are inclined to rush through the week and live in the imagined future (the weekend), we miss out on what each individual day has to offer – unintentionally passing over the delightful details that could change the trajectory of our days.  So rather than choosing to rush through it, enjoy this time of your “extraordinary, ordinary life.” A lecture might be boring, and you might keep waiting for it to hit 10 to on the clock (while the lecturer decides to complete the full hour). But rather than complaining, sit and enjoy it, because some day you might do anything to come back to this one day. It’s About Time to start living with more intentionality – so put your phone down, live in the moment, and enjoy the mundanity that the uni life can sometimes offer. 

“Love isn’t just one happy moment, right? It’s a million” – Eternity (2025) 

Many of us are waiting for that one pivotal ship to sail, think intern or relation, to bring us to the pinnacle of our student lives. But how many wonderful small things happen every day; like going for coffee with your friends, or reading a book you really enjoy, or staying up till 3 am laughing with your housemates? Collecting loads of little moments can often be more meaningful than the big things that we deem to be more valuable.  Whilst I can’t promise that you’ll have both Callum Turner and Miles Teller fighting to spend eternity with you (a girl can dream), I can promise that with this mindset you’ll stop putting pressure on yourself to fulfil the one overarching thing you think will make you happy. So, instead of tirelessly living in expectation for that single moment, try to accumulate all the “million” small moments of impact that have brought joy and love into your university life – these are the ones you’ll remember for Eternity. 

 “It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward” – Rocky Balboa (2006)

Getting hit with that grade you don’t want, your crush getting into a relationship, or seeing your bank account after a Wednesday night out (arguably the worst of the three), can all feel like the ultimate upper cut to your day. Moments like these can likely be indistinguishable from a punch in the face, sometimes an actual punch would in fact be better. But, during university, these jabs are unfortunately inevitable and can sneakily attack you at any point throughout your day. But “moving forward” and using those setbacks as motivation can fuel you to be an even better version of yourself than before. Bad news can make your day a bit Rocky, but rather than letting it knock you out, persevering through will make you indestructible during second term. 

“Don’t ever let somebody tell you that you can’t do something” – The Pursuit of Happiness (2006) 

After coming to uni and realising that you’re a little fish in a big pond, many things like getting a first or being able to pursue your dream career might seem unattainable. Most of us have our dream job – the job we’ve been fantasising about since we were younger; then the job that’s more ‘realistic’ – the one we tell people when asked what we want to do in the future. When saying you want to be an actor or an astronaut (not that my English degree would qualify me for that), the concerned look on people’s faces can be extremely discouraging. But wanting to achieve a high grade or getting that dream career is not an impossible reality – someone’s got to do it, so why can’t it be you? Protect that dream you have for your life and don’t let anyone convince you that it’s silly or impossible. Pursue the happiness you want for your uni life.  

“Sometimes you don’t see that the best thing thats ever happened to you, is right under your nose” – Love, Rosie (2014) 

Whilst Bristol isn’t the original home to most of us, it’s the city right under our nose that has so much to offer. We can likely miss how brilliant it is due to the stress of being at university with deadlines and social responsibilities; but, intentionally leaving time to make the most of the pubs, events, and general atmosphere of the city is super important because we won’t be students here forever. Let this friends-to-lovers trope encourage you that things can change for the better, with new opportunities and experiences right around the corner. Even though you might not recognise it in the moment, some of the most memorable scenes of your life are being composed every day while at uni. This once foreign city has great potential to feel like home with wonderful nostalgic snapshots to look back on in the future. Hopefully these quotes will inspire and uplift you to make you ‘Love, Bristol’ even more during second term. 

 All images via Youtube