^This is college
Princess and the Frog came out around the time that my fellow princess sister was still in elementary school. I was absolutely ecstatic because, after what seemed like a long hiatus, Disney was finally going to do another 2-D animation princess movie, and my sister was going to understand what all the hype was about during my childhood when I was consumed by all things princess related. Honestly, the movie didn’t disappoint us. Here was the first princess-in-training entrepreneur who wanted to own her own restaurant and to do it big! We tapped our shoes to the music, we cowered at the evilness of the voodoo doctor, and we rolled our eyes when the pig-headed prince eventually came around to loving Tiana. (I mean we knew it was bound to happen, but come on!)
Overall, my sister was impressed with the movie, and I was just happy to share a sense of Disney magic with her. Even today, my cousin’s two-year-old daughter has seen the movie and always requests for me to play Mama Odie’s “Dig A Little Deeper” for her on my Spotify. As a princess both in college and part of a family, I’m still grateful for this movie and for the wisdom of Princess Tiana. And the fact that Oprah Winfrey voices an actual character just puts me beyond the moon and back.
YOU GET A COOKING POT, AND YOU GET A COOKING POT, AND YOU GET A RESTAURANT!!!!!
This week’s lesson is inspired by the determination and sheer wisdom of Tiana, and I hope all of you princesses in college can understand it well: You’re Almost There, Don’t Give Up.
Tiana wasn’t handed her restaurant on a silver platter. Tiana didn’t automatically become a princess. It took courage, perseverance, and a lot of frog hopping to get all of her goals accomplished. And even at her most vulnerable state, she realized she may not have had everything she wanted at the time, but she had what she needed…and part of that was her own self. As a princess in college, this means absolutely everything. Right now when it’s crunch time for school ending, thoughts of graduation are passing by, and you might be re-thinking some of the things you’ve done in the past, but you just have to realize that you can never give up on yourself. Personally, this princess suffered bouts of depression this spring semester, and it seemed like there would be no Disney happy ending. I kissed a lot of frogs that didn’t turn into princes, I fell behind in all my classes, and it seemed that no matter how much I dug deeper, it wasn’t working out for me.
Then, I started listening to my Disney playlist on Spotify (don’t judge…every princess in college should have one). I started listening to The Princess and Frog soundtrack again, and I began paying special attention to the song Tiana sings when she is fantasizing about her future dreams:
So I work real hard each and every dayNow things for sure are going my wayJust doing what I doLook out boys, I’m coming through
I don’t know about you, but that is just beyond inspirational, and thus it inspired me to keep going. I wish the same for all of you out there who are undergoing physical or emotional stress. It will never be easy, nor will it ever completely stop because there will always be challenges to face along the road. But please, don’t give up because blue skies and sunshine will be there soon enough. I also highly recommend listening to this movie’s soundtrack when you’ve just gotten over dating a dirty old frog because it is definitely a pick-me-up.
Princesses, start that studying so you don’t fail those upcoming finals, keep your chin up whenever things don’t look like they will go your way, and remember that you’re almost there! I say this to my sister back home, to my cousin’s little daughter who has all the imagination in the world, and to all of you ladies trying to make something of yourselves. I will believe in you. Always.
Just look out for the evening star!