After living the whole year away at college, summer family vacations become weird.
Not only are you in a new environment, but now you have the added factor of being around people 24/7. And like it or not, things have changed. Nonetheless, I am so thankful for my family and the fact that I live with parents who love me, and have the want and ability to travel.
This year, our family chose Florida as the destination trip of the summer. We spent three days at Universal, two days at Vero Beach and one day at Cape Canaveral. I had an amazing time, but I couldn't help remarking to my mom how different this vacation felt. Going to the ocean or the Kennedy Space Center means more to me than if I were younger or still in high school. I was able to sit still longer, and I was more interested in the content. I hadn't been to the ocean since I was young because of inner ear issues, so being on the beach and going underwater for the first time in years was an incredible experience. When it came time to go to Universal, I assumed it would be similar to the last time I had gone, back in fourth grade. I was glad for at least some kind of familiarity. Theme parks are always awesome right? But going to an amusement park as an adult, is a very different experience than when I went to Disney World as a fourth grader.
I loved Universal, and I truly think I got more out of it than I would a couple years ago. But I think the biggest difference I saw this time was in me. I remember being able to run around in the boiling Orlando heat, loving the simulation rides and my face hurting from smiling the entire day. I never understood why people would want to leave.
This time, by mid afternoon on the first day, I had a headache from all the noise and lights. I thought I was going to throw up after doing the Simpsons Virtual roller coaster. I saw children running through park screaming with joy, and I secretly envied them. It seems that the older I get, the more I seem to find myself in the "real world" of responsibility and adulthood. It even invades how I act in theme parks, where I am constantly watching the small children running all around me to make sure they don't fall or get hurt. I have trouble shedding my daily thoughts and embracing my inner child, but I think that is the benefit of going to theme parks like Universal or Disney World as an adult. They let you be whoever you want to be.
As a 19-year-old, it is no longer appropriate for me to jump up and bear hug my favorite characters (I'm looking at you "Scooby-Doo" gang), but it is totally appropriate to wear "Harry Potter" robes, carry around wands, etc. I went on more intense roller coasters this time, which I never would have done as a child. I enjoyed horror make-up shows, the singing quartet in Harry Potter World and simply people-watching. By the end of three days, I may have been doing different activities / rides than when I was younger, but I loved every minute of it. And hey, change is a good thing.
My face was sore when we finally left, and that's when I realized I had been smiling all day.
