By Natalie Payne, Second Year, German and Spanish
Exam season has been underway for two weeks now and, with one more week to go, it’s understandable if motivation is dwindling (unless you, like me, have been lucky enough to finish early). Whether you need one final morale boost or you’re figuring out how to do things differently next academic year, it may be time to turn to the screen for inspiration – especially if the pub is off limits for now.
When we think of academic warriors in film and television, Elle Woods or Hermione Granger usually spring to mind. While they might both be staples on a Pinterest board, you can only say ‘What, like it's hard?’ so many times when what you’re doing is actually quite hard. If you feel that it’s time to move on to pastures new and find other characters to draw motivation from in times of academic despair, this is the list for you.
Who can we look to, beyond the aforementioned classics?
- Rose Gupta – M.I.High (2007-2014)
Starting off strong with a childhood throwback. The original academic weapon inspo for every CBBC kid, Rose (Rachel Petladwala) successfully balanced achieving the best marks at Saint Hopes with her career as a child spy for Mi9. It might be difficult to convince your flatmates to watch M.I.High on movie night though!
- Spencer Hastings – Pretty Little Liars (2011-2017)
Throughout the series, Spencer (Troian Bellisario), as the overachiever of the core four, demonstrated her academic prowess while being stalked by ‘A’. Although an all-nighter in the ASS might feel like her infamous season three breakdown, it’s probably healthier to take inspiration from her general disciplined academic outlook.
- Olivia Pope – Scandal (2012-2018)
In Scandal, it seems like Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) is capable of navigating everything; an extremely successful career as a spin doctor, a secret affair with the President of the United States, and a very complicated relationship with both of her parents. If she can do it, so can you! (Although you’d probably want to avoid the second one).
- Carrie Bradshaw – Sex and the City (1998-2004)
Her relentlessness in her pursuit of Mr. Big sets the example that if you just keep going, nothing can stop you – not even somebody else’s marriage.
- Assane Diop – Lupin (2021)
The only man to make it on to the list, Assane Diop (Omar Sy) is the main character of the French TV series Lupin. Maybe you fancy brushing up on your language skills, or maybe you just need the cunning intelligence of a gentleman burglar to break you out of an exam season funk.
- Harper Stern – Industry (2020-2026)
Industry is some of the best television to come out of the 2020s, and Harper Stern (Myha'la) is one of the reasons why. She’s ambitious and cutthroat, and displays the determination needed to make it through this final week, as well as providing plenty of reasons to avoid a career in finance.
- Lidia Poët – The Law According to Lidia Poët (2023-2026)
Who better to use as a source of inspiration than Italy’s first female lawyer! Her determination to fight for women’s rights serves as a good reminder of the value of our education, so use this time wisely before forgetting everything you know over the summer.
- Diana – Tell Me Lies (2022-)
A character who works hard and is focused on her future, she uses her intelligence to escape a terrible relationship with as minimal damage as possible to herself and her reputation. Work hard now because you never know what it might be useful for later.
- Summer Roberts – The OC (2003-2007)
As well as loving ‘shopping, tanning and celebrity gossip’ she got a 2300 (out of 2400) on the SAT and was accepted into Brown. Study now and hit the Gloucester Road charity shops later?
- Kate, Carly, and Amber – The Other Woman (2014)
There’s nothing better than combining forces to outsmart the evil man in your life! Maybe this could be you and your coursemates if you combine your knowledge in a joint study session to outsmart the evil exam paper(s) looming over the next week.
Emma Coleman
- Marianne Sheridan and Connell Waldron – Normal People (2020)
If the two people in the most frustrating situationship of all time can both become Scholars at Trinity, then anything is possible.
Featured Image: IMDb / Pretty Little Liars
Which character will you be using for motivation?
