Ever since I was young, I have wanted my life to feel like a movie. My childhood was stitched with vignettes of classic Disney scenes, catchy choruses from Disney soundtracks, and iconic characters that felt like close friends of mine. The polished and perfect life that was subconsciously painted before my eyes was all because of Disney Channel. Every love story, every predictable plot, and every cheesy punchline had an enormous effect on the way I expected my life to play out.
Each movie was nearly identical, yet I still held them just as close to my heart.
The main character always had a flawless family, friend group, and some sort of talent that drives them to follow their dreams. When an end-all conflict suddenly turns their world upside down, the protagonist goes on a life changing journey that leads them to self discovery.
What sets Disney movies apart from every other coming of age film is how effortlessly every dilemma is solved. Being a little girl and watching difficult situations result with a fairytale ending had a major effect on the way I viewed the real world. I began to believe that falling in love would be painless, or that achieving my dreams would be a seamless journey, or that a singular event would be the ultimate turning point of my life.
As I approached my freshman year, the magic of these picture perfect storylines began to fade. I knew that there was no one illustrating a storyboard for me, or playing background music during intense moments, or writing the script of my future. My life was not a movie and I was no longer a little girl.
I was stuck in this almost cynical mindset throughout the majority of high school. That was until I reached my senior year, and it had dawned on me that these four years of our lives were coming to a close. Although it was time to buckle down on college applications, keep my grades in check, and cram in loose ends of community service hours, I realized that now was the time to live my life like a movie. I’m not saying that winning homecoming queen or getting into college are defined as the climax moments of my life. What I mean is that it’s okay to embrace the magic of one singular moment. Feeling present and taking in the perfection or perhaps the imperfection of a moment is how I have begun to live my life again. As silly as it sounds, maybe living my life like I’m in my own Disney movie isn’t a fantasy after all.
