If anyone has ever seen the classic movie Snow White, then you know about the seven dwarfs who stumbled upon the beautiful maiden after a long day of working in the gold mines. The seven dwarfs all have different names which describe their personality and character. The dwarfs’ names are Doc, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, Bashful, Sneezy, and Dopey. Let’s face it - we can relate to each one of these dwarfs. I realized that I related to all of them while being in college and it was mainly during my freshman year, because everything was new and exciting. It was a major change from high school when you saw the same people every day (except for the occasional hot new kid), went to the same classes, and had lunch every day at the same time, which now I am lucky if I get lunch at all. College changes the game, and I believe the seven dwarfs describe this change perfectly.
Doc
He is a self-proclaimed leader of the group, Doc often loses his train of thought and bumbles around, looking over the dwarfs. In college world, you really find out the person you are to be in your friend group. Either the “I’m going to party all the time or try to keep my grades up” or the “I will be the designated driver and maintain a 4.0 GPA.” If you chose to be the “DD” then you are Doc the dwarf. Extremely smart and wise, but also easily distracted when it comes to making sure your drunk friends get home from the party. This means putting down your psychology homework and answering the phone at 2:00am.
Grumpy
Grumpy tends to be irritated with the other dwarfs antics and opposes allowing Snow White to stay with them. Grumpy can go for different moods and aspects in the college world. LTake, for instance, that 6:30 a.m. workout class your roommate forces you to go too. The instructor is always way to awake for you and you feel like throwing yourself out the nearest window. Or that 8 a.m. class you thought was a great idea because in high school you had to be there by 8 a.m. It is not easy (take it from me), college changes your sleep schedule, eating schedule, and being social schedule. You will be grumpy five out of the seven days of mid-terms' week and finals' week.
Happy
Happy is fat and jolly with a friendly personality. Happy maintains laughter and joy amongst the dwarfs. Being Happy the dwarf as a freshman is usually those first few weeks on the college campus, everything is new and exciting. You go to classes with a huge smile on your face, eat as much as you want because your high school cafeteria food sucked, and smile at every person that walks by because you woke up on the right side of the bed. Nothing can go wrong in your eyes and you are loving every minute of life being in college.
Sleepy
Sleepy while always eager to fall asleep, Sleepy is considered the most observant amongst the dwarfs. Being tired in college is nothing uncommon or unusual. It is a daily occurrence that usually does not go away until Christmas break or summer. As a freshman, you will learn to fall asleep in the oddest places. Sometimes the grass by the sidewalk looks more comfortable than a cloud (but that is beside the point). When you are tired, you are more observant of your surroundings because your brain is trying to focus harder. You will learn the hard way that over-working your brain because you partied too hard the night before is miserable.
Bashful
Bashful is the shyest most shy of the dwarfs. In the movie he tends to always hide his head because he blushes immensely when he sees Snow White. Being bashful in college is nothing new, especially being a freshman. Picture this: it is the first day of a new class. You are early to the classroom so you get your pick of where to sit. The room starts filling up and you stop paying attention. Next thing you know there is the cutest upperclassman in the world is beside you (preferably a baseball player). They ask for a piece of paper or pencil because no one is truly prepared after freshman year, and you forget your name and turn blood red. After that you are officially known as the bashful freshman who forgot their own name.
Sneezy
Sneezy had a bad case of hay fever that causes him to sneeze violently and frequently but he doesn't let that stop him from having fun. Sneezy as a freshman is when you are entering midterm’s week and want to study with all your friends in the library. You want to avoid those “sneezy” friends like the black plaque because of how contagious they are, but you still help them study anyway. You’ll recover over the break…hopefully.
Dopey
Dopey is the dwarf who is a little spacey. His intentions are silly and he is often the core of the dwarfs jokes. Dopey the freshman is the friend who is unintentionally getting attention. The Dopeys of college world are smart when they need to be, but are also not the brightest crayon in the crayon box. It takes them a little longer to get the jokes or sarcastic comment. Usually the ones who say “oohhhhhhhh….I get it” five minutes after a joke was said. Don’t worry, these freshman come to college to get smarter.
My first year at college I experienced being all of the seven dwarfs. Most of the time I was all of them in one week. You never realize how much you can relate to childhood characters until you are an adult trying to make adult choices in college. Thank you Disney for unintentionally preparing me for what life was going to be like in college.
