Few movies inspire me quite like "Dead Poets Society" does. While the movie may not seem to be perfect to many critics, to me, "Dead Poets Society" is perfect because it addresses the imperfections of adolescent life with a beauty rarely found in any films. I was lucky enough to have watched "Dead Poets Society" when I was a teenager and could immediately relate to the main characters. Even as I am older, I still look to the film for encouragement and am thankful for all of the life lessons it has taught me. Here are the 15 best lessons I learned from Mr. Keating and the characters in "Dead Poets Society:"

1. Thoughts and ideas cannot always be measured on a scale or with a test.

2. Everyone in an old photograph was young once.

3. If you listen closely, those people from the old photographs have a message for you.

4. No one lives forever.

5. Read and write poetry.

6. Always look at life from more than one perspective.

7. Expand your vocabulary.

8. Discover what it is that makes you unique.

9. Don't worry about what other people are doing.

10. Be like Thoreau and get out there.

11. It's okay to dream big.

12. Know the difference between school and an education.

13. Don't be afraid to give a barbaric yawp.

14. Do what makes you happy.

15. Learn from others.

16. And, finally, stand up for what is right and what you believe in.