Everyone has dreams. Everyone has that one thing that they would kill to do, and once they do it, they find the new dream. Having dreams is completely normal, and it’s actually a wonderful way to motivate yourself and to get yourself out of your shell and into a new world.

I have a lot of dreams, specifically, dream jobs. I want to do just about everything, ranging from being a best-selling author to a forensic scientist. There’s a long list of things I would love to do, and that has made college very difficult. I find it hard to find one thing and stick to it, especially when it comes to my career. My career is something I’ll likely be tied to for a very long time, and choosing just one thing is scary.

One dream that I have had for as long as I could remember is working for the Disney company. Surprise surprise (this is sarcasm, unless you haven’t read any of my articles, then it’s a real surprise), I work for Disney World. Don’t get me wrong, it’s been a dream come true and it’s taught me a lot about myself. It’s also taught me a lot about the real world and about dreams. I always thought that working for Disney would be a full-time thing. As my year-long college program slowly (and yet way too fast) comes to a close, there are some things I’ve learned.

I’ve learned that just because someone is meant to be your mentor doesn’t mean they’re going to be a good one. In fact, these mentors might be mentors in ways you shouldn’t act at work and towards those who are below you, above you, and peers to you.

I’ve learned that, while Disney is a prestigious company to work for, it’s no different from working for Bath and Body Works or Toys ‘R’ Us. It’s a retail job (or fast food job, photography job and just about every other generic job out there) that pays minimum wage and has its flaws.

Now think about it. When you are able to finally achieve your dream, what are you going to do? Some people’s dreams are their reality, and they find something they’re truly passionate about and something that they can actually do for the rest of their life. That’s great. Please, continue with your dream. Don’t give up on it, but don’t ever let that dream stop growing.

What if you achieved your dream and it’s not quite what you expected? What if your dream isn’t actually your reality?

That’s okay. It’s okay for your dream to come out being lackluster and not as wonderful as it seemed. It’s okay. It sucks, and finding a new dream to follow is difficult, but don’t get caught up in this reality that you’re not happy in just because it was your dream. That’s Disney for me. While I would love to work for the company full-time, and just three months ago I fully intended on going part time or full time when my program was over, I’ve come to the realization of something.

I’ve realized that, while my dream was wonderful, and it’s been so amazing and such an experience working for Disney. But my dream isn’t quite the reality I’m looking for. There are days where it makes me happier than I can imagine, but those days aren’t nearly as often as the days that make me want to pull out my hair and question all my life decisions. At first, this was really hard for me to come to terms with. I was worried that if I gave up on this, I would be giving up on my dream. And while it may be somewhat true, it’s also sort of false.

Yes, I’ll be walking away from a company that I have adored since before I was born. I’ll be walking away from friends who will stay here, and I’ll be walking away from an entire year of my life. What was it all for? Was dropping my life for my dream really that great and a smart idea? It was.

I wouldn’t be who I am if I didn’t realize that working for Disney was only ever a dream and never a reality. I wouldn’t realize how much I miss singing, and how if I sang for the rest of my life would actually make me incredibly happy. I would never have the friends I have now and have the lifelong relationships I’ve made while being here. I wouldn’t realize I actually love dancing and think it’s super cool that people are able to pursue that dream of theirs.

I wouldn’t have known any of this if I didn’t step out of my dream box and make it a temporary reality.

As all of this sits in your head and you ponder over it, I leave you with one piece of advice. This is something my grandma told me, and I’ve never had advice to with me as this one has.

“Once you figure out what you’re gonna do in life, the fun is over.”

Don’t stop dreaming. And if you achieve your dream, chase after a new one. Because once you stop dreaming, what are we really doing?