^Judging you
As a small child who spent her whole life twirling around the public swimming pool pretending to be a mermaid, thus failing her swimming lessons, I didn’t understand princess Ariel’s struggle in The Little Mermaid. Who in their right mind would want to swap a beautiful mermaid tail for two legs? I know I was always tripping over my feet, so it wasn’t all jumping and dancing. Nowadays, us princesses in college dedicate dress designs and even hairstyles to mermaids, but this redheaded bombshell wanted to give all that up for a pair of feet and a man? Perhaps that annoying crab wasn’t as crazy as we thought when he kept badgering Ariel to stay under the sea. Also, if you want to get work done, don’t go to the cave of a sea witch. I suggest seeking some actual professional help.
Crazy sea witches aside, the real lesson I learned from Ariel comes from a classic song and a current interest in studying abroad: Be a part of other worlds, go travel!
Pack your bags, ladies!
Travelling, whether to a different city, state, or even country, is essential. How can you truly be part of a world if you’ve never even left the comfort of your own space? We princesses have got to channel our inner Ariel and explore the shores above us (or around us, behind us, right next to us, or wherever Google maps leads us). I understand our mermaid pockets might be a little bit on the empty side, and Triton knows just how busy we can get, what with studying, planning our futures, and even buying some new thingamabobs or gizmos-a-plenty. But we can’t stay under the sea forever, no matter how much we want to just flip around with our fins or swim around with our great hair. If you are a princess in college in your early twenties and haven’t even left your own hometown, then I would have to think of you as a poor unfortunate soul… but don’t worry, I won’t steal your voice.
Exploring different places is a chance to meet different people, immerse yourself in various cultures, and of course, stuff your face with awesome food (this is after you’ve already taken an Instagram foodie picture, of course). Opportunities like the upcoming summer break, or even long weekends, are the perfect time to start planning spontaneous trips. Do you want to know if the seaweed is truly greener on the other side? Pack your bags and start looking up cheap flights. Do you really want to be part of another world? Start splitting your paycheck in half and dedicating it to travel funds. Do you want to follow a man on land? Well then…stop right there because you’re nuts and need to re-consider your options because unless he is The One, you can just forget about “Kiss the Girl,” and let that boat capsize. Sorry, had to let that one slip.
Princesses, it’s time to use the pair of legs we were born with and start travelling to different places. Get the travel bug, and go far!
Bon Voyage!
(Have you been travelling recently? Feel free to share your photos on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook and don’t forget to use the hashtags #hercampusfsu and #disneyprincessincollege)