Of the 10 Best Picture nominees for the Oscars, we love that two of them have ties to college. There’s The Social Network, which shows how Facebook got its start at Harvard, and then Toy Story 3, which has a storyline centered on Andy heading off to school and leaving Buzz, Woody, and the others behind.

The Social Network, which has eight Academy Award nominations, is a fictionalized account of the beginnings of Facebook, but it offers a very real insight to college life, from the very first scene. Mark Zuckerberg’s girlfriend breaks up with him in a bar, which leads to him taking a long walk through campus back to his dorm, where he continues to drink into the night. That leads to his blogging about his ex and creating a site where people can rank photos of Harvard females – all eventually resulting in Facebook, which college students–and the rest of us–now can’t live without.

The movie also reflects how the desire to be socially accepted isn’t something that ends in high school, but continues in college. But the thing you’ll notice is that in college, there often is a greater variety of groups to join, which allows you to embrace your individuality and still feel accepted.

All the characters in the movie – from Zuckerberg (played by Oscar nominee Jesse Eisenberg) to the Winklevoss twins (Armie Hammer Jr. did a great job portraying them both) to Zuckerberg’s best friend Eduardo Saverin – represent some of the types of people you’ll meet in the college, or that you might be yourself. There’s the aloof, socially awkward folks who you just know will somehow become millionaires, the suave guy who always seems to have money, and the athletes who exude confidence.

Then in a completely different way, Toy Story 3 tugs on the heartstrings, from the cardboard box with the word “college” on it to Andy’s final decision about Woody in the end. It shows us that growing up means letting go, and college is a big time for making that step.

Both movies are well done and reflect that going to college – a decision you’re making now – is a decision that can be part of a compelling story, whether it’s fiction or real life.

—Lori Johnston