The problem of the current media is that it overlooks the core of the coming-of-age story. Creators prioritize superficial means of connection versus timeless, emotional ones.
A better depiction of college applications in the media would be showing a sincere reason for the character’s choice of school and a more personalized college search. If producers lead with characters’ genuine motivations rather than sticking with the tried and true big-name school, it will give way to a diversity of acceptances and more realistic representations on what college is truly like.
“Sierra Burgess Is a Loser,” which released Friday on Netflix, feels like a glorified, slightly higher-budget Disney Channel original movie. And as much as I love “High School Musical,” that’s certainly not a compliment. Borderline unwatchable at worst and a hesitant guilty pleasure at best, “Sierra Burgess Is a Loser” tells the story of Sierra, an awkward high school girl who finds herself in an unexpected romance after her classmate, popular cheerleader Veronica, gives Sierra’s number to Jamey, the quarterback of another local high school.
If you are a millennial, you were probably a fan of Disney Channel Original Movies back in your pre-teen years. You know most (if not all) of the words to the first, second and third “High School Musical”...
