The best princess yet!
This is not your average princess, and you won’t be seeing her anytime soon in an animated Disney movie. Her head barely reaches the top of my hip, she’s obsessed with rummaging through purses to find lipstick, and her sassy attitude will make you believe she can conquer any role in life. This is Zoey, one of the many lovely girls in my family. Ever since she graced the lands with her royal presence, my life has been one of sing-alongs, dress up time, and spinning around my cousin’s place to “Let It Go” with Zoey in my arms. I’ve been to all her kitchen parties, held her hand as we crossed streets on adventures, and have listened to her go on and on about being a true princess as she jumps around in her pink light-up sneakers.
And I believe she is and always will be a princess at heart. Why? Zoey may be too young for college, but she embodies the Disney princess spirit. Wherever she is, the room lights up. Whatever we do, it’s a new journey in her book. Her life in the future will consist of queens, kings, princes, fellow princesses, and evil villains, but I believe she will handle it with the grace and spirit of a true lady in charge. Zoey sometimes has her slips (mostly in the form of fits), but she recovers with all the swiftness of a raging female warrior! Oh, and let’s not forget her love of dresses and all things girly.
Diva
If Zoey’s taught me one thing (besides knowing all the lyrics to “I’m On My Way” from Princess and the Frog), it is this: be a princess role model to someone else.
When I write these articles, I do it for myself, but also for my own princess sister back at home, for all the princesses in college roaming around campus, and most of all, for princess Zoey. All of us here at FSU have our own flaws, but I believe we should all inspire others on a daily basis. In my life, I’ve had a variety of royal role models, from family members and friends to people attending my own wonderful university. Sometimes in the princess college world, you try to focus so much on what you are trying to do and how to advance your own goals, you forget there are others around you needing help to do the same. The best thing we can do is instill our knowledge and values into others we care about.
Invite a stranger in your class or in your resident hall for coffee. If you are an upperclassman, take a freshman under your wing. Don’t be afraid to join clubs or outreach programs that involve mentoring youth. Feel free to reach out to your siblings or younger relatives back home if they ever need guidance. Once a princess has come to love herself, it’s time to spread the love around for others so they can rise up and reign.
A while back, I called my cousin up to see how everyone was doing. I asked if she could put Zoey on the phone, and to my delight, I heard my favorite voice on the phone tell me “hi.” After telling her over and over how much I missed her and couldn’t wait to go home, she blurted, “Amanda, you go to school? I want to go to school with you!”
It made me think about my life here at FSU, about Zoey’s future in college, and how I can’t wait to see her grow up and become the amazing Disney Princess in college I know she will be. She may be too young to really look up to anyone, but I hope I can be Zoey’s role model for when she has to make her own decisions in this world. Princesses, go be a role model for another princess. Think of others, think of the changes we can all make, and think of princess Zoey as you go on about your day. She looks up to princesses like us now, and we will soon look up to her for the future.
Princess Zoey and her brother, Prince Oliver.