10 ‘grool’ things the ‘Mean Girls’ taught us

MANILA, Philippines – The film Mean Girls turns ten today. Do you feel old yet?

How apt that the 10th anniversary of the film’s release should fall on a Wednesday –which is now also known as the day “we wear pink,” because of one the film’s most famous lines.

But the movie was far from being just another funny teen hit flick about how the new kid swoops in to clumsily save the day. There were a lot of lessons to be learned from it as well. Here are ten things the movie taught us:

Look both ways before crossing the street

Perhaps the first big lesson the film slammed into its viewers (as well as into Regina George) is one of the oldest lessons ever taught to any child: be careful when crossing the street.

When Cady Heron recklessly stepped onto the street at the beginning of the film, a yellow school bus nearly rammed into her. She was lucky not to have been hit but real life is seldom as kind. So whether you are crossing a physical street or the metaphorical roads of life, remember kids, look both ways before taking your next step.

Location is key

As the saying goes: life is all about location, location, location.

Janis Ian could not have made it any clearer than in her artsy cafeteria map: everything has its place – and so does everyone. Cady’s story could have gone a million different ways had she decided not to sit with the Plastics, or if she had jumped ship somewhere in the middle of the film.

Although sticking to the status quo isn’t cool anymore, one thing you need to remember is that there is a right place and a right time for everything.

Some things will just “never happen”

It’s a bitter pill to swallow from a hand that slaps you, but it’s the truth.

Gretchen Wieners took a bullet for all of us when she demonstrated how, in life, there are dreams you’ll need to let go of. She didn’t handle the death of “fetch” too well, but she kept on going, knowing she had tried her best.

“Own it”

This piece of advice is short, sweet, and fierce.

Damian may have said it referring to Cady’s “regulation hottie” looks, but you don’t have to be a pretty red-head to work it. If you’ve got something you’re proud of, don’t hide it. If you’ve got something you firmly believe in, stand up for it. One thing you shouldn’t do is deny and hide the things that make you unique and happy.

Girl world vs. animal world

Being the new kid from Africa, Cady showed viewers a new perspective on things, comparing how humans and animals behaved.

With all the unspoken “rules of feminism,” going through life can get complicated, but would you rather be like animals and just pounce on other people without considering their feelings? Plus, let’s admit it, it’s much more fun being a girl.

Be careful who you trust

There is a saying that goes: Tell me who your friends are and I’ll tell you who you are.

Making friends was high on Cady’s list of priorities but she forgot to sort the good seeds from the bad. For most people, friends play a big part in shaping how you turn out, so it is important to surround yourself with the right people. If you want to be a jock, you join a team. If you want to be an artist, you surround yourself with artists. If you want to be Plastic, you may get hit by a bus.

Know when you’re being a mean girl

Perhaps the biggest twist in the film is when sweet, innocent Cady became a mean girl herself. The worst thing about it was that she didn’t even know it. (READ: How not to be a ‘Mean Girl’)

This is why it is important to take a step back and look at oneself from afar. Your actions may have seemed fine as they were well-meant, but looking back may show you a trail of casualties you’ve left behind. If you’ve got a friend who is brave enough to call you out on it, hold on for dear life to that person.

Don’t keep feelings bottled up

If you’ve got something you need to say, rather than letting it fester inside you until you go crazy, there are countless ways to let it out.

Some initial options presented in the film are: gossiping, the Burn Book, word vomit, and actual vomit. When the movie’s grown-ups stepped in, some better ways were presented: direct conversation with the person involved and apologies. Choose wisely.

Stop being your own worst enemy.

Something the movie exposed is just how bad girls treat each other. Sure, it’s easy to blame the opposite gender, but the worst of the damage actually comes from within your own ranks.

You may not be pulling a full-on Regina George, but if you don’t stand with your friends for better or for worse, then you are just as guilty.

“All you can do in life is try to solve the problem in front of you.”

One of the film’s final lessons is to focus on what’s in front of you instead of what everyone else has going on around you.

You can’t control life or other people – and you shouldn’t want to. The great thing about being a human around other humans is all the diversity you get to experience. Once you can see the beauty in the differences, then the real fun begins.

Who wants to be stuck playing with the same old plastic Barbie doll when you can have real live friends?

And as if Mean Girls hasn’t given humanity enough good already (apart from what would surely be a totally fetch reunion), here are some great GIFs to help you express youself and add color and humor to your everyday life:

Here’s a bonus treat! Take this quiz to find out which Mean Girl character you are!

Have you learned anything from this movie? Share it with us in the comments below! – Rappler.com