Last semester, I joined an organization on campus called Project Princess UF. Project Princess is a non-profit organization that provides magical experiences to children suffering from life-threathing illnesses.

I loved the idea behind the organization because it was everything I adored in life: kids, princesses and helping others.

When I joined the club, I auditioned to be Princess Tiana and I was able to go on my first hospital visit last semester in November. Before the visit, I was scared that it would be too sad, too overwhelming and too upsetting to spend the day with kids who were in such tragic positions. When I arrived at the hospital, I realized that these kids were above and beyond any I had ever met in my life. They were happy, energetic and enthusiastic. Spending the day with them not only made me appreciate everything I have, it gave me a new perspective on life and a newfound hope.

There is something so magical about dressing up like a princess and brightening up a child's day by bringing them experiences they are otherwise denied. I didn't realize until I heard the kids screams and gasps that they genuinely believed that I was *the* Princess Tiana who flew in from New Orleans to visit them.

The main thing I gathered from these kids was that they are incredibly resilient. They were funny, kind and so very excited. We visited the pediatric ER, pediatric ICU and the oncology sector. Each child, regardless of their condition or age was extremely happy to see us.

Sometimes, the boys would be a little more apprehensive to hang out with Princesses' but each child would eventually open up. After the visit, my cheeks were so sore from smiling the entire time. I thought I was going to spend the day with some children in peds and perhaps make their day a little brighter but what happened was the opposite. The spirit, heart, and endurance of these kids who are suffering from life-threatening illnesses warmed my heart!

Their smiles will forever stay in my memory. I can't thank everyone at Project Princess enough for affording me such a wonderful experience!

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