My favorite quote ever since I was little has been, “If you can dream it, you can do it.” If you’re as big a Disney fan as I am, you know Walt Disney said this famous quote. In previous columns, I have expressed my forever love for Disney and all it has done for me and my family.
Well to add to this ongoing love, I have just received the most amazing news: I have been accepted into the Disney College Program.
According to Disney’s website, the Disney College Program is a semester-long paid internship at the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando or the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Calif.
Students are given the opportunity to work part-time at theme parks and resorts, take college-level classes and live in company-sponsored housing with other students.
I applied for the first time my freshman year and was heartbroken when I was rejected. After letting the wound heal for a year, I applied again as a sophomore, but to no surprise, I was rejected once again.
However, this time I was asked to do an online interview. This one was a timed test that asked how you would handle situations and questions about your personality. At the end of the test, I was informed that I was not advancing to the next round.
This made no sense to me at all. Why was I rejected? I was truthful in all of my statements. Did they not like my personality? They never even asked a single question about how much I liked Disney.
I watched girls I knew from high school and family friends live my dream while I wondered if it was ever going to be my turn. It made no sense to me at all. I was just as big a Disney fan as everyone else I knew there. When was it going to be my turn to experience my dream?
With junior year going strong, I decided once again to apply. I told myself it was a joke; there was no way I was going to get in this time. What about me was different from the last two times I applied? Sure, I was older, had more life experience and two new majors, but that didn’t feel like the biggest difference.
After turning my application in, I received an email saying I had advanced to the next step. Once again I did the test, but this time was different. I received a new page that said I would get an email when I could schedule my phone interview. I have never been more shocked in my entire life that I was so close to achieving something I had wanted for years.
I had scheduled my phone call and anxiously waited all week. If you ask any of my friends, I would not shut up about how nervous I was.
The day came, and I was the most anxious I have ever been. I woke up and put on my newest Walt Disney World shirt for good luck. My interview wasn’t until 3 p.m., and I had three classes before then.
Trying to focus was difficult and I deeply apologize to my professors for my lack of focus all day.
An hour before my call came and I couldn’t focus. I read the email over and over again making sure I was ready for the phone to ring. I looked up various YouTube videos from others who had their calls already. The email said it would be approximately 20 minutes, but the videos said your time doesn’t matter. All that mattered was the interview and how well you handled it.
I was panicked and unsure of where to have my call due to wanting no distraction. Thankfully, my amazing little offered up her apartment to me.
It was three minutes until 3 p.m. and my phone rang. I screamed, took a deep breath and did the interview.
I can honestly say I had no idea how it went then. I felt relieved, but nauseated after. I was asked how I felt about certain topics and how I would handle different situations.
In the end, my interview did go well, because I am accepted and so excited to go.
I will be at Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando from mid-August to early January. During this time I will be working as a quick-service food and beverage cast member.
When I received the email, I was in my office in The Gannon Knight office and honestly screamed.
This week hasn’t been the best, and receiving this type of news made up for everything bringing me down recently.
I can’t wait to begin this amazing opportunity that I have dreamed about for so long.
To quote one of my favorite Disney songs, “Anything your heart desires will come to you.”
Look out Disney, I’m coming.

OLIVIA HAHNER
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