Why I Want to Be a Lowly Servant for a Talking Mouse

I submitted my application for the program on Friday, and, now that I've taken that big step, I've been reflecting on why exactly I want to do the program. And because I have now joined the illustrious ranks of bloggers, I decide that I would share all of my thoughts, logic, hopes, dreams, and fears on the subject with you, my legions of dedicated readers. (At this point, I think I'm the only reader I've got. lol.)

The name of this program is pretty misleading. It sounds so glamorous--it's a "college program", and a "paid internship". The website talks about things like valuable networking opportunities. But what it really all boils down to is this: I'm going to be taking a semester off from school, and working full time at a theme park.

Doesn't sound so glamorous now, does it? Crying kids, whiny tourists, and "protein spills" will probably make up a majority of my day. But I'm still dying to do this program. You might be asking, "Gee, Bethany!" (Oh, come on. You know that's how you talk.) "If you have such low expectations of the program, why are you doing it?" The answer is that I don't have low expectations: just realistic ones. The other answer is that working at a theme park is exactly what I want to do, for now, anyway.

In just a few short semesters, I'm going to be rudely and irrevocably thrown in to the real world: bills, responsibilities, and no spring break to relieve the monotony. So I see this as an opportunity to do what I have been promising myself to do more often: procrastinate. The WDWCP is really going to allow me to kill two birds with one stone. Not only will I be able to indulge my love for Disney, but I'll put off all of the decision making and stress for a little longer. I'm in no real hurry to finish up school. The way I look at it, I'll be finished with school in just two more years. And after that, I've got a good 40 years in the workforce, more than likely getting sick of my job long before I'm old enough to retire (hopefully not, but there's that realistic expectations thing again). So what's a short 4/5 month delay? Not much in the long term, but, in the short term, maybe just the thing to help maintain my sanity. And after I'm done with school, opportunities like this aren't going to present themselves very often. In all likelihood, this could be my last chance to just drop everything and go gallivanting off for a season. Plus, I'll get paid and have something very unique to add to my résumé, two points which the responsible person within me really responds to. So this is a chance to indulge both sides of my nature--the adventurer and the achiever.

The reservations I have, while less numerous than the advantages, are equally as compelling. These deserve a post of their own, and I’m sure one day between now and August, when I’m feeling like the cons not only outweigh, but completely crush the pros, I’ll write one. But for now I’m merely focusing on the positive, and pursuing the adventure, even if it does essentially amount to indentured servitude to a rodent.