High school is hard. Dating is harder. But finding yourself? That’s the hardest.

Sierra Burgess (Shannon Purser) is a funny, smart high school senior who, as the title suggests, is on the wrong side of popular. She’s a “book nerd” without a whole lot of friends, but her best friend Dan (RJ Cyler) has been there for her since the second grade. Their friendship is hilarious and exciting as viewers get to know the true Sierra through laughs and tough times. But when the stereotypical mean girl Veronica (Kristine Froseth) gives Sierra’s number instead of her own to quarterback Jamey (Noah Centineo), it begins a controversial yet amusing story of a jock mistakenly falling for your not-so-typical girl.

There’s a confidence to Sierra throughout the movie that makes you wonder why she’s considered such a “loser” by Veronica and the mean girls. Yes, she doesn’t have the perfect body or a posse of friends, two things that seem to be so important at her age, but Shannon Purser makes Sierra instantly lovable and someone you want to see a happy ending for in the movie.

In addition to being entertaining, the movie’s message is truly inspiring.

Nowadays, many high schoolers, girls especially, are so caught up in their appearance that they at times forget who they really are. The pressure to be popular and maintain friends has taken over much of high school society, but Sierra shows us that it while it may be hard to be your true self around certain people, in the end you should find your real friends and the people you love who accept you for all of your quirks and insecurities.

The cast of “Sierra Burgess is a Loser” successfully shines a light on prevalent problems among high school girls while telling the story of two teens that the audience would’ve never imagined could have ended up together.

Through many ups and downs, awkward moments and plenty of laughs, time teaches characters to erase stereotypes and show people who they really are. Everyone should know and take away from this heartfelt film that if you really want love and happiness, you look at a person’s character, not their makeup.