In two weeks, what has been a two-year journey for me will be over. I began working at Six Flags Great America during the summer of 2015 and continued all the way through this Fright Fest. Most people would say working at a theme park is all fun and games, and then there are the few that say it would be horrible to deal with all those people. If you've ever been to any of the Disney Parks or any theme park in general as a guest, you can expect to encounter many people from many different backgrounds and most likely be annoyed by all of them. However, when you've got that circular name tag over your heart, the way you see the people who visit this little artificial world changes. Yes, there are those days where the mass amounts of teenagers dabbing on me when I offer a high five are overwhelming and frustrating, but then there are those days where you create a special moment that both you and the guests will remember forever.

I was hired as a performer at Six Flags Great America. I was hired to sing and dance for the masses that happened to pass by the venue and see that there was a show going on. We were the ones to offer a source of entertainment for those who do not necessarily love the thrill of going on a rollercoaster ride. Of course, I have loved every minute of the singing and dancing, but what made me stay another summer and another Fright Fest was the people. Now I'm not talking exclusively about the people I work with, but the people I have met that have come to me as guests who have impacted my life more than they will ever know as well. I drive four hours every weekend from my busy life at school to go to work and see these people who bring me so much joy. This summer, two of the casts came together for a trolley show in which we invited the kids around the area to dance with us.

For us performers, it became monotonous really quickly. One day, that changed for me. On a random summer day that seemed like any other day that summer, I met a little girl. This little girl danced by my side and was so much more excited to be dancing with us than other kids I had seen before. I wanted to go the extra mile for her as she was giving us her all. After the show, I took the couple minutes instead of going back to my dressing room to talk to her family and invite them to the next dance party, this one country themed, because I knew she would enjoy that one as well. She immediately became my little dance partner. Her mother sent an email to my managers praising me for giving their daughter something to be so excited for. She even made me a card at the end of the summer. I didn't do it for the praise. I did it to make a girl's day memorable and special. Who knew that now every Saturday I look through the crowd for my little dance partner because she has made my experience here this year so incredibly special. She inspires me.

This is just one example of the special moments created at a theme park that make great memories. There are many more moments I witnessed this summer, such as two of my cast mates learning some simple sign language to communicate to a child with special needs who just wanted to dance with people who spoke his language. The joy I saw in his mother's eyes was pure and overflowing. Or there are the moments that have happened during Fright Fest, where my cast mates and I spend some extra time with a child who absolutely loves our show and we follow him around until he absolutely tires us. These are the moments that I believe are only created in a community that is the theme park world. It does not have to be Disney World to be magical. It is the combination of the guests and the team members that create the magic, wherever that may be. I have witnessed so many people cry from frustration and I have seen so many people cry tears of joy. There are so many people from so many worlds that come together in this one place and it is wonderful. I'll never forget these moments or these people. I will always try to have "Six Flags Day!" because those days have been some of the best.