When I got to college I knew I wanted my experience to be something to brag about. I had a few ideas up my sleeve on clubs I wanted to join. I even put my email down on about 50 signup sheets just because I didn’t want to miss an opportunity that could potentially change my life.

I was only 18 years old with one semester of college under my belt and I was already ready for more adventure. I somehow ended up on a website for the Disney College Program and after only about 5 minutes of trolling the website I hit “apply now.” Two months later I booked a one-way plane ticket, packed my suitcase, and right after Christmas I flew to Orlando to begin the greatest experience of my life. I worked in Disney World for six months. I did something out of the ordinary, I did something most parents might not agree with. I ditched a semester of college and went searching for an adventure. I really truly believe this is something everyone should do at some point in their lives. Moving far away from home, where you don’t know a single person, and beginning a new chapter, is incredibly good for the soul and I’ll tell you why.

1. You realize there’s so much more out there than just your hometown. I had a girl from Brazil invite me over one of my first nights in Orlando to teach me how to make Brazilian candy. I had a guy from Mongolia cook me dinner one night. I became best friends with Snow White (not kidding, she was my roommate). I got to watch an entire tour group from Colombia cheer on their team while watching the 2014 World Cup. I had a new friend from every corner of the world and with every new friend came new stories and new things to learn about the world I knew so little about.
2. I learned how to communicate. If you’re from a hometown like mine everyone is very similar, born and raised there and have very little intentions to ever leave. I’ll never forget my first experience trying to communicate with this little girl. She wanted to know where the straws were but neither of us spoke the same language. I panicked for a quick second and then slowly started to communicate with her using hand motions. We both had a triumph when I realized what she was asking for. People nowadays don’t know how to communicate face to face, it’s all via internet and telephone. My communication skills skyrocketed by meeting new people from all over the world, and spoke many languages. I even picked up on a lot of Spanish and could have simple conversations with guests.
3. Discover yourself. I was only 18 and still had a lot to learn. I was lucky enough to have my major picked out but other than that I had no idea what path I wanted to take. Working in Disney World, moving away from my comfort zone, really forced me to discover who I really was and what I wanted to do in life. As I met more and more people, I realized I was becoming far more open minded, adventurous, wise, and more spontaneous. I was taking every opportunity that fell into my lap including extending my stay in Disney World through the summer, something I never imagined I would do when I first arrived in Orlando four months earlier. I grew up a lot from moving out of the state and living on my own.

My suggestion is that you follow any dream that comes to mind. Don’t be afraid to apply for jobs out of state and out of your comfort zone. Don’t be afraid to ditch college for a semester or two, because one thing I learned is that you can always go back, whether your 18 or 50. Don’t be afraid to meet people who aren’t like you, aren’t from where you’re from and never lived the way you did. Don’t be afraid to be young and take on adventures most only dream of. You’re never too young or too old. Adventure awaits anyone.