The Disney College Program is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Living and working at Walt Disney World or Disneyland, while getting free admittance to the parks is a dream come true. The work is hard, but the rewards stay with you forever.
So what happens when your months with the company end? What happens when you go back to whatever you were before?
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The life you go back to seems familiar, in ways. People that you haven't seen in months want to hear all about your experience, and you're eager to talk about it.
You follow all of the Disney Facebook pages you can find to keep up with the place that became your home. You smile when something is officially announced that you knew about months ago, but when things start closing, when your favorite show goes out for its last time, you want nothing more than to be back.
Every blog post, article, and advice column I read before starting my college program talked how quickly time goes by. Everyone said to go to the parks as much as possible. They encouraged people to do everything they could in the short four to seven months they were employed by Disney.
The truth of all of it is this. While you are working for Disney, you'll think that you're spending enough time in the parks. After working five or six days a week, it doesn't feel like you're missing out when you decide to catch up on sleep and homework on your day off. You don't feel bad not going to the parks every chance you got while you're still there, because there's always a tomorrow, or a next week, or a some other time.
After you leave, you wish there was some way you could have fit it all in. You realize everything you didn't get to do, and you realize that you would give anything to go back and have more time.
I am not going to say that during the college program you should always go to the parks on your days off. The truth is that sometimes you need a break. Everyone needs time to relax and rest. It's okay to not be going all the time.
But savor your time. Make friendships with everyone you come in contact with. They are the people who will know exactly what to say when you need a pick me up.
Do what you can, and enjoy every second of it. Wait in the long line if you don't have fastpasses. Maybe it will seem annoying in the moment, but who else gets to go to Disney on a random Tuesday just to ride a few rides?
There's a fine balance between over doing yourself and living in the moment. Find the balance, and live every moment to the fullest. Your time with Disney will be over before you know it, so take pictures, do silly things, and enjoy yourself.
And always know that Disney will always be waiting to welcome you back.
