I — female, 24, writer, no authority — have a statement to make: love and careers aren’t mutually exclusive pursuits. We question why princesses would give up their dreams to marry a wealthy yet lonely man, but that’s not exactly how these women are portrayed anymore, isn’t it?
We’ve come a long way since the 1937 Snow White, where a far too old prince kisses a young princess he met once while she’s in a poisoned state of eternal slumber.
Mulan, Tiana, even Belle — these are well-written women in the context of classic Disney animations because they show autonomy. They have dreams, they have wants, and those don’t get sacrificed just because there’s a handsome prince in the picture (well, it’s a little arguable for Belle, but that’s besides the point). The love interests they meet along the way do not stand as roadblocks against their passions, but rather by their side on their journey forward.
While people like that are harder to find in real life, they exist.
Fairytales taught me ambition as much as they taught me love. I grew to long for a handsome chap like Naveen who would sweep me off my feet, but never ask to abandon my career. Mulan showed me rebellion, Tiana taught me resilience, and Belle instilled respect. I stand by the fact that Disney princesses are still perfect role models for young children, and they’d succeed in the world today just as much as they do on the screen.
What would Disney princesses study in the real world?
Belle’s love of books is the very first thing we learn about her in Beauty and the Beast. Source: Generated by Copilot
Belle
Let’s start with the obvious — Belle would study literature. In the opening scene of Beauty and the Beast, in her little town of little people, she’s literally going to the library to pick up a new read. The townsfolk find her peculiar for it, but she pays them no mind.
Belle is a free spirit. She yearns for adventure and a life beyond the confines of her town. If she were to attend university, I think she’d start in the big city of Paris. Universities like Panthéon-Sorbonne and Université PSL offer renowned literature programmes; the city sprawled with arts and a cultural history that Belle would love to explore.
Then, she’ll realise she wants to see more. Rather than going overseas immediately, I picture Belle as someone who’d travel to Paris first and realise her journey doesn’t have to stop there. She’ll discover the study abroad opportunities at her university and then take on short-term programmes year after year to see the world, visiting countries like Switzerland and Japan.
Princess Tiana never stops at working towards her goal of opening up a restaurant. Source: Generated by Gemini
Tiana
Tiana Rogers never sells herself short. At the beginning of the film, she’s working two waitressing jobs to save up for an abandoned sugar mill that her father had dreamed of turning into a restaurant with her — but he would pass away before the possibility of such happening.
Tiana aims high, even if money’s tight. I can picture her shedding blood, sweat, and tears to perfect her culinary skills and high school resume, all so she can secure a scholarship to attend a prestigious institution like Le Cordon Bleu, either in Paris or London. Perhaps she’d choose a less conventional spot, like Turkey or Thailand, to diversify her culinary palette.
Then, she would return to New Orleans to start working as a chef or waitress, knowing full well that she needs to sharpen her business knowledge if she’s going to run a successful restaurant. I can picture Tiana juggling two jobs with an online MBA programme to ensure she has all the skills she needs, even if it tires her out. Tiana’s a workaholic anyway.
Rapunzel would be bouncing in her seat at the idea of going to university and getting a bigger taste of freedom. Source: Generated by Gemini
Rapunzel
Oh, Rapunzel, Rapunzel, paint me a masterpiece!
The Rapunzel that I grew up with was not Tangled, but the 2002 Barbie film, where she finds a silver hairbrush-turned-paintbrush that conjures portals through art. Either way, one thing both movies have in common is their depiction of Rapunzel’s favourite pastime: painting.
To put it simply, I think Rapunzel would love to attend an art school. She would probably jump at the thought of going to university alone, being given some freedom after her long tower isolation. She’d go to art school with a natural talent for painting, and exhibit pieces of landscapes that hold her most precious memories after being freed.
Now, imagine Rapunzel attending the Rhode Island School of Design. The vibrant state reminds me of the kingdom of Corona. It’s a close-knit community surrounded by coasts and forests. The city of Providence is a paradise of good food and music. While sky lanterns are banned in Rhode Island, there is a Water Lantern Festival that she can sing to the lights with her dear Flynn Ryder.
Cinderella is the epitome of inner and outer beauty. Source: Generated by Copilot
Cinderella
I couldn’t decide whether Cinderella would pursue a career in veterinary science or fashion design. While in the 1950 animated film, it’s the two mice, Jaq and Gus, who enlist the help of other mice and little birds to shape up her mother’s dress, the 2015 live-action shows Cinderella more involved in the tailoring process. It’s a sweet addition, and I’ve always appreciated how the film portrays inner kindness without shying away from the fact that she enjoys pretty things.
(I mean, she falls in love with a pretty prince, so.)
I think she’d thrive in fashion design. Her kindness would shine through first and foremost. She’d take up sustainable fashion design to make eco-friendly clothing accessible to people from less affluent backgrounds. Her creativity would flourish, but not at the cost of the environment.
Cinderella strikes me as a London or New York City girl. Both are world-class fashion hubs filled with fashion design programmes. Since the live-action film features British accents — the story is meant to be set in France, by the way — let’s take her to NYC. It’s home to the Fashion Institute of Technology, which prioritises sustainability as a core value of its programmes.
Cybersecurity is essentially the military of the digital 21st-century. Source: Generated by Copilot
Mulan
The tale of the warrior princess inspired many young girls to surpass the barriers of gender norms to spearhead male-dominated fields, so long as it was their dream. What moves me most is that Mulan chooses to risk her life to protect her ill father, despite her family’s insistence on marriage. In the process, her skills in combat, swordsmanship, and strategic thinking unravel.
I tinkered with the idea of Mulan becoming a doctor to find a cure for her father, but then I realised it’s too stereotypical for a character that’s already confined by stereotypes. I still believe she’d walk right into STEM, but rather than science, she’d enter what’s basically the military of the digital age: cybersecurity. She’ll strategise in the battles against digital espionage.
Cybersecurity is typically pursued as a master’s degree later in your career. Mulan would first earn a bachelor’s degree in either computer science or information technology, going to a school like Johns Hopkins University and getting involved in the Inter-Asian Council. Then, after five or 10 years of working, she’d enrol in an online master’s in cybersecurity for a career boost.
Moana would pursue fields that expound on her love for her heritage, and her love for the ocean. Source: Generated by Copilot
Moana
The first thing that came to mind when I thought about Moana was marine science, but her story was less about the ocean’s creatures and more about the ocean itself. She, just like Belle and Mulan, longed to sail beyond her home to see what the unknown holds. Moana’s heart belonged to the ocean, and the ocean chose Moana to restore Te Fiti’s heart.
It’s safe to say her voyaging spirit would lead her to some globe-trotting. As someone who cares deeply about her heritage, Moana would want to understand the distinct qualities of Polynesian communities worldwide. She could pursue a bachelor’s degree in anthropology at the University of Auckland in New Zealand, a nation home to the Māori, an indigenous Polynesian population.
Then, she’ll go to the Ocean University of China to earn a master’s in oceanography. I know it’s incredibly random to plop her in the middle of a country with a language she (probably) doesn’t understand, but hear me out: if there’s one person who can manage, it’s Moana. She didn’t set sail to the middle of nowhere at 16 to save her island from a lava catastrophe for giggles.
Anna and Elsa have immensely different personalities, and they’d follow entirely different career trajectories. Source: Generated by Gemini
Elsa & Anna
Elsa and Anna are my favourite hot messes. Anna’s got her own version of elegance — bubbly but a little clumsy, earnest and constantly growing. Beneath Elsa’s regal veil are layers of insecurity and fear, the result of being locked away for many years.
Elsa would be the eldest daughter who pursues a particular field out of familial obligation, only to realise it’s not her calling at all. As the next in line to the throne, her parents would expect her to study Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) at a prestigious institution like the University of Oxford — a degree that many leaders graduate with. Anna’s a theatre kid, no question. I could see her at a world-class, yet less intimidating institution like the Boston Conservatory at Berklee.
I highly doubt Elsa would continue studying PPE if she had the choice, but it’s not like she could choose not to be the queen. If given the freedom to do so, Elsa would make a great architecture student, probably somewhere far away from home. Somewhere like the National University of Singapore, which is ranked ninth in the world for architecture and the built environment.
