How a purple unicorn taught me lessons about friendship

Now that I'm in college, I expected myself to have made a ton of friends by now. Isn't college supposed to be a place where you find your BFFs? Perhaps I didn't go to the right building.

Connecting with others seems to be a skill I haven't quite mastered. On my days off I prefer to be a hermit and bury myself in studying, playing video-games, and browsing the internet. That was, until I found the Magic of Friendship.

Okay, I lied, I still do all of those things, but I have made more friends after watching My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic...

To quote from Wikipedia to help me explain this show better than I ever could:

"The show follows a studious unicorn pony named Twilight Sparkle. Her mentor, Princess Celestia, guides her to learn about friendship in the town of Ponyville. Twilight becomes close friends with five other ponies: [...] Each representing a different facet of friendship, [...], The ponies share adventures and help out other residents of Ponyville, while working out the troublesome moments in their own friendships."

I love how there are characters that you just watch and go "Oh my god this is so totally me!". Twilight is considered highly-logical, rational and even-tempered. In the first episode this studious, purple unicorn was reluctant to make friends, even after her mentor told her to do so. I immediately resonated with her characteristics and fell in love with the show ever since.

Throughout High school I was a loner. Often, I'd jump from group to group never really sticking around long enough to make any true friends. If I had done so, I didn't realize it, and didn't use much effort to keep them close. I felt awkward in social situations, not knowing the proper protocols, so I never made any effort to socialize.

After watching all 3 seasons, I've learned a few lessons from the show. Like with Twilight, having that close knit group is important. In High school, I made the mistake of spreading myself too thinly across multiple groups. Trying to please everyone by blending in whenever needed, I never was 100% myself at any time. Now I know it's best to have a few very close friends where you can always be yourself.

Rarity: find your passion

Sometimes you find your best friends when you have a mutual hobby. For me, it's a lot of geeky, nerdy things. Rarity has a passion for her work that I slightly envy. She has found her niche that she works well in, even going so far as creating a successful business in the small town of Ponyville. I hope to become as successful and as happy in a career I enjoy as her.

Apple Jack: Ask for help

In one particular episode, Applejack became stubborn and worked herself into an extreme fatigue before she finally gave in and asked her friends for help. This lesson can be hard one for me to follow through with. Often, I am there to help someone else without giving it a second thought. However, I tend to go at it alone when it comes to my own problems. I know that no one should ever have to do everything by themselves, that's why you should always have a good handful of friends to help you through your hard times as well as share your good ones as well.

Fluttershy: Keep calm and be kind

Fluttershy at her best is generous and sweet. She's sometimes a little too trusting but always eager to help. It's always best to be kind towards your friends and always give them the benefit of the doubt. However, never be a pushover. I tended to give in to others, especially when it came to conflict. Now I know that it's okay to stand up for yourself, even when you might disagree with others, stay kind and understanding and there won't be any real problem.

Pinkie Pie: Have fun!

Having friends around should be a fun experience. In her own eccentric way, Pinkie Pie will go out of her way to make any of her friends smile. If you have friends that you don't have fun with and don't enjoy being around, it's okay to break ties with negative people.

Rainbow Dash: Stay 20% cooler

I'm not much of a girly-girl and neither is Rainbow Dash. She's all spunk, coolness, loyalty, and all about being awesome. Just don't let it get to your head. Although she may come off as lazy, Rainbow Dash has confidence in her abilities to take care of her job, as well as her friends, whenever needed. I believe being loyal to your friends is one of the greatest characteristics anyone can have. I've had times where I felt betrayed by my friends, and it's not a nice feeling. So keep your head up, stick with your friends, and never let anyone else steal your thunder!

The best thing I've learned is that opening up and sharing your experiences with others may teach, help, and inspire others, but also it can show yourself just how far you've come.

So what do you think? Have you learned about friendship, or something else, through a movie or series? Do you enjoy watching My Little Pony? Let me know.