As someone who has done casual community theatre since the 3rd grade, I’ve always been extremely judgmental of musicals and their transitions to the big screen. And before coming to college, I hated the movie “Mama Mia!”

“Mama Mia!” is an odd show made up of all ABBA music that tells the daunting story of a daughter who is trying to find out who her real father is, including all the intricacies of how that journey ties into her relationships with her fiancé and her mother. I was always convinced the show had an awful premise. I mean, come on, there had to be a better story to tell using ABBA music. Or maybe it would have been better to just never write a musical with ABBA, to begin with.

My deep dislike for the idea of “Mama Mia!” as a musical immediately turned me off to the movie. After sitting through the screen version just once, I couldn’t believe anyone could ever enjoy such a ridiculous storyline. But college changed me.

Upon arriving at school and quickly realizing that my roommate, who I didn’t know beforehand, was a big fan of musicals, watching musical movies became an easy way for us to bond. She loved “Mama Mia!” so I obliged to watch it with her. Each and every time we sat down to watch this movie I groaned inwardly, but secretly fell more in love with it.

Today, after waking up with “Mama Mia!” music stuck in my head and driving to work screaming along to the soundtrack, I can admit that I am completely in love with the movie. Watching Amanda Seyfried dance around and having Meryl Streep slay my soul as she sings “I was cheated by you and I think you know when” is nothing short of a magical experience that leaves me in a feel-good mood.

After all, this time the love story between me and "Mama Mia!" that is fit for a romance novel continues to grow, and I am proud to say that I'm even excited for "Mama Mia! Here We Go Again" to come out in July. But I think the most heartwarming part of the story is that I learned that it’s good to be open to change, because something you may have disliked might end up becoming one of your favorite things in the world. It’s always great to open your mind to fresh ideas and to be willing to hear other opinions, even if all you’re doing is falling in love with a fantastic movie that your roommate forced you to watch.