Elf was released into theaters in 2003 and has been a staple in Christmas movies ever since. Buddy is such a relatable character for 20-something-year-olds because he was introduced into our lives at a young age while also remaining relevant as we became who we are now.

1. Traveling far away from home.

Whether you go to a local school or go across the country, college is all about finding yourself and leaving the nest in one way or another. Buddy traveled from the human world to the North Pole as a baby and finally travels to find his dad when he finds out he isn’t an elf.

2. Being very sarcastic (even though Buddy never is).

Sarcasm is a way of life. Without it, I would be nothing. Buddy is too positive to be sarcastic, but the writers of the movie aren’t!

3. Not having any idea where you’re going in life.

We’re 20-something years old; where are we actually headed??? No one knows and that’s ok! Buddy doesn’t know where he’s going, he literally finds his way to the Empire State Building with a snow-globe.

4. Being in an awkward situation and just going with it.

Does Buddy sweat being rejected by his dad, or buying his dad lingerie, or following the Christmas music to interrupt Jovie in the shower? No!! He doesn’t care. He just goes with the flow. We’ve all been there.

5. Not knowing what to buy for a “someone special”

It’s always awkward when you have a significant other and the holidays come around. Do you get gifts? We are poor college students, we should probably just cook and do something memorable, right? But Buddy buys the one thing most couples buy at the holidays, it’s a gift for him either way.

6. When you get way too into the Christmas spirit.

It’s so hard to be focused on finals and packing your apartment and making winter travel plans while the rest of the world is singing Jingle Bells and dreaming of white Christmases. Sometimes it’s a stress reliever to listen to Christmas music and pretend that you are an elf! Buddy is literally the best at spreading the Christmas spirit - even Santa says so!

7. Being too much of an overachiever because you’re passionate about something.

It’s an amazing trait that for some reason millennials apologize for. Having a passion for something gives joy and reason to life! Buddy knows that his passion is Christmas and he refuses to apologize for it.

8. Knowing everyone expects something of you and you know you’re being a disappointment.

We’ve all had this happen. Whether it is because friends expect you to go out and you don’t, parents expect you to be a doctor and you want to be a historian, you study really hard and expect an A but you get a D-…we all live through disappointments. Buddy does too, but it’s not his fault. He’s a human in an elf’s world; you don’t have to be good at everything, you just have to be able to be good at what you love.

9. When your dreams get crushed.

Remember being 8 and finding out Santa wasn’t real? YOU DIDN’T KNOW?? OMG I’M SORRY, OF COURSE, SANTA IS REAL! (#oops). It happens as an adult too. Thinking of your upcoming 21^st birthday and finding out that you won’t be getting the big party that you want. Thinking you aced a class or assignment and then finding out you bombed it. Being really excited to get a car and then realizing it sucks to have to pay for gas. Buddy experiences this feeling when he finds out he’s a human, when the mall Santa isn’t Santa, and when he doesn’t feel like he belongs anywhere.

10. Having a horrible diet.

It's almost impossible to eat right, exercise, and do well in school! Eating candy and pasta and cookies and fast food and fried food and pizza and Chinese food is easy, fast, delicious, filling, portable and great for eating while working. The 4 elf food groups are pretty similar to the food groups college kids live on.

11. Planning ridiculous things to get out of having responsibilities.

It’s easier than studying! Towards the end of the semester, I love making plans for what I’ll do when I’m home! 99% of the time the plans fall through, but procrastinating my work and making plans is so much fun! But Buddy is 100% serious when he's making plans.

12. Pretending that everything is fine.

Everything is certainly not fine. You’re having a mental breakdown, you have a constant headache, you don’t know what you need to still do, but when the teacher asks you how you are you will reply “I’m ok!”. Buddy does that. He pretends he’s ok even though he’s never experienced the human world before.

13. Having a job that you hate.

But you have to get paid somehow!!! Since college kids are only home part time they need part time jobs and those aren’t always great. They abuse your hours while they have you and they mistreat you because you’re young and disposable, and it’s awful! But it makes you appreciate the paycheck you scrape up so that you can spend while you’re back on campus. (The mailroom job Buddy gets he loves, but he does hate coffee).

14. Nervous eating.

Eating is a sport for college kids. Hungry? Eat. Bored? Eat. Meeting up with friends? Eat. Studying? Procrastinate with eating. Nervous? STUFF YOUR FACE!! Buddy likes cotton balls in the doctor’s office.

15. Acting inappropriately at a family/business function.

The expectations are too high and we’re too uncultured to know how to act and we done goof and mess it all up. It’s the start of our career, so of course, we don’t actually know what we’re doing! But that never stopped Buddy from enjoying his life!

16. Having a strange talent.

It’s similar to having an extreme passion! Everyone has one and everyone needs one; it gives life meaning! Whether you can recite all of the lines from your favorite movie (Elf!!) or if you can lay on your back, put your feet behind your head and become a human basket (throwback to something me and some friends used to do at camp #FWF), everyone has a weird talent and everyone should be proud of it! Buddy shows off his excellent snowball-making skills and he has no shame!

17. Running away from your responsibilities.

We all do it. College kids don’t want to be adults yet we are well on our way to becoming adults. Buddy runs away from his elf responsibilities when he figures out that he’s a person.

18. Being weirdly in love with dogs.

Puppies excite everyone (except those who are allergic…your loss!). Buddy is right, it’s always good news to see a dog!!

19. Checking your grades.

Buddy’s version of grades is completing etch-a-sketches! We all assume we’re doing just fine until we actually see a solid grade.

20. Getting filled in on what you did last night.

Elves don’t drink (except when Buddy works in the mailroom of his dad’s company), but everybody makes mistakes.

21. Trying to get your parent’s approval.

20-somethings are in a weird state of having it all while simultaneously having nothing. Receiving the approval of your elders and knowing they’re proud of you is hard to get but awesome when you get it. Buddy spends so much time trying to get Walter’s approval and it’s a happy ending when he finally does.

22. When you no longer care so you cross the street without looking

Rumor has it, college kids get a free ride if they’re hit by a car on campus. There’s also another rumor that you get a 4.0 GPA if your roommate dies. No one wants either of these consequences, but the outcomes seem pretty swanky. It gets to a point where you don’t even look both ways before crossing streets on campus and pray the driver stops. The North Pole doesn’t have streets, Buddy doesn’t know to look both ways and city taxis don’t stop.

23. When you met someone at a party and then see them when you’re sober.

They remember you and you don’t remember them and it’s weird. You always meet people while you’re out, it’s one of the best parts about going out! But when you sober up and you didn’t exchange phone numbers or make-out or wake up next to each other, don’t talk to one another. #sorry #notactuallysorry. Buddy only wonders who the Santa-imposter is, nothing too complicated.

24. Assignments are due in December; you check your calendar…it’s December.

That snuck up on you. Guess it’s time to do the opposite of what Drake’s Hotline Bling says. You have to start wearing more and going out less. Accurate reaction Buddy, being blindsided is the worst!

Buddy is amazing and such a dynamic character. He’s excitable, energetic, emotive, and hilarious (sorry that one doesn’t start with an “e”). He’s relatable on so many levels and Elf is my favorite movie to watch any time of the year, but especially at Christmas time.