The time has come! Since I've last posted, I've graduated college, and packed up my life for another chapter. I've taken the contents of the previous section of my life and cut it in thirds for this journey to the Most Magical Place on Earth. It’s the night before check-in for the Disney College Program, and I’m finally in Orlando. We’ve been driving for two days to get here, and waiting much longer than that for this day to arrive! Tomorrow I embark on the next seven-month-long chapter of my life, and I fully intend on sharing it all with you! I'm excited for all of the things I'll learn and for all of the stories I'll have to share with you, and if you ever find yourselves in Disney World, keep a lookout for a familiar face behind a camera when you're looking for that family picture. I'm sitting in this hotel, reflecting on my brief time home and how I spent it. I did a lot of fun things and took a few fun trips that I need to remember to share with you, but the past few months have been more about being in the moment with those I love most and doing the best I can to make a smooth transition in life. I'm now on the cusp of a new beginning though, and I'm looking ahead to all of the things to come.
A few things about my journey, so far:
1. Application and getting to this point took a lot more nerve than I originally planned. It’s one thing to take a long shot and apply to move nine hours away from home from seven straight months. It’s another thing to do the phone interview, and another still to get accepted. All of these are incredibly exciting things. I applied and pursued this dream in an effort to check this off my bucket list, but I never anticipated how hard it would be to say goodbye to some people, crossing your fingers that they come to visit. It takes nerve to actively schedule goodbyes and last hangouts. I applied to the program post-grad, so I personally went through a lot of transitions in general, and I’m facing a new chapter entirely after the program. It’s very exciting, but having the nerve to follow through with this move is exciting and scary.
2. This work is going to be difficult. I know this fact full well. This is tourist season for Walt Disney World, and I’ll be here for all of the major holidays (another reason it was tough to get down here). I didn’t have a job for the last few semesters of my college career, and I’m jumping into a full-time/ overtime labor of magic and love. I’ll be in the heat, and I know that there will be really hard days. But with those hard days will come some of the most magical days I’ve experienced thus far in my life! I look forward to loving the guests and the cast members with whom I work. This difficult time is full of awesome potential for me to grow as an adult and as an employee.
3. Being intentional about relationships is a MUST. This is the most important one, friends. Because of the first two, this last one is going to make me appreciate all my oldest, best friends and cultivate new relationships with the people I meet here. With my roommates (I plan to introduce you to each of them soon), and other friends that I meet here, I plan on being intentional and creating lasting friendships with as many people as I can. I’m most excited about this one. I’m excited about loving people in the best way I can, and using this time to learn to love people so much better. Guests, cast members, long distance friends, roommates, and everyone else I encounter.
These are only a few, brief things I know so far, and I have a lot of really cool things in store for those of you who follow my journey as a Cast Member. I plan to FINALLY start a video blog. I plan to offer a lot of information about being a Cast Member (as much as I'm allowed to share). If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask me, and I'll answer the best I can. Until next time, I'll be off in Orlando, frolicking and learning how to be magical!
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