A comprehensive look at my desert island necessities

This week, I’m taking a brief breather from the flurry of politics to discuss a different topic near and dear to my heart: my all-time favorite books and movies that I have fondly deemed my “desert island necessities.” In other words, if you stuck me on a deserted island and said, “Hey, Mia, here’s enough food and water to last you a week on your own, but you can only take three books and three movies along,” this is what I would bring. Yeah, I know it’s not realistic, but this is my column, OK?

First off, you should know I’m not particularly good at spending extended periods of time entirely by myself. I do enjoy my me time during busy weeks, the occasional long drives when I blast my Spotify playlists and don’t care who hears me sing along and the really quiet part of the morning when I wake up before anyone else. That being said, I get a lot of my energy from other people, so my desert island necessities have to compensate for this lack of socialization. Without further ado…

My Desert Island Books

Honestly, I could take the easy — and, let’s face it, somewhat true — way out and say the last three books of the “Harry Potter” series, but where’s the fun in that? I think I’d need a rather diverse range of three books to keep my brain occupied. I choose “Pride & Prejudice” by Jane Austen for its hominess and romantic storytelling. At my core, I’m mostly a hopeless romantic who doesn’t always look it. If I’m cut off from human contact on a private island, you better believe I’ll need a love story to keep me entertained.

For my second pick, I’m going with “When Breath Becomes Air” by Paul Kalanithi. This book is poetic, deeply moving and extremely thought-provoking. I know it sounds cliche, but reading this did change me in a sense, opening my eyes to the beauty in even the most ordinary places. Penguin Random House published Kalanithi’s autobiography after he died of lung cancer, and the book emphasizes gratitude and finding comfort in one’s life and one’s purpose. I can’t recommend it enough.

My third choice? “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” by J.K. Rowling. You didn’t actually think I would leave all of my Harry Potter books behind, did you?

My Desert Island Movies

Let’s operate under the assumption, at the very least, I have a working television and DVD player, even if I don’t have the Wi-Fi to stream shows and films with reckless abandon. What three movies would I take with me? First, “Lost in Translation,” a 2003 classic starring Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson. It features beautiful Tokyo aesthetics and an atypical friendship, and it gives me the same sense of hominess as mentioned before.

Next up, I’d want the 1974 film “Blazing Saddles,” a hilarious Mel Brooks movie that totally satirizes the American West and Western flicks. I laugh every single time I watch this movie. It is as hilarious as it is completely bizarre.

For my final movie choice, I pick “50 First Dates,” one of the corniest movies to come out of 2004, and that’s probably saying something. I don’t know why I love this movie, so please don’t ask me to explain it. I was 8 years old when it came out, and I watched it each and every time I was sick as a kid (even though it was rated PG-13, whoops). I know every single scene, every Drew Barrymore outfit and Adam Sandler joke, yet I watch it every time it comes on.

So there you have it, my desert island necessities. What are yours?

Mia Gettenberg is a UF criminology and philosophy senior. Her column appears on Mondays.