“If you can dream it, you can do it.” – Walt Disney
Over the summer, I had the amazing opportunity to work for The Walt Disney Company. There, I was an Editorial Intern for Marvel Press and Lucasfilm Press. The position often left me pinching myself. This had been my dream role for as long as I could remember.
When I was younger, I always wanted a career where I could help create my favorite thing: stories.
The first time I remember visiting Disney World was for my 11th birthday. I had been begging to go, and my Disney obsession was clearly manifested. Going with my dad was the best experience I could have hoped for as a little girl. The last park we visited during the day was Magic Kingdom. Souvenirs were displayed on every corner. I knew what I wanted to bring home that day needed to be special. It had to speak to me.
As dramatic as it seems, walking into the gift shop “Sir Mickey’s” that evening quite literally was a turning point in my life.
Perked up on the shelf, staring at me with what seemed like a transfixed gaze, was a copy of Serena Valentino’s Fairest of All. That was my special souvenir. Not a bubble wand or Minnie ears, but a book.
Immediately after our park day was wrapped up, I began diving into Valentino’s novel. Her diverse lens on fictional worlds kept me glued. She took abstract characters’ life’slives into her own creative control. It gripped my fascination and made me empathize with villainous antagonists.
While I did not know it then, this book opened the doors for what would be my career goals. I wanted to create books similar to Valentino’s. I wanted to play a part in creating stories based on the characters we all know and love. More than anything, I wanted to make an impact on audiences in the way that book did for me. It helped me realize the genius beneath unfiltered creativity and imagination without borders.
I knew I had to work for Disney Publishing one day.
Engaging in creative freedom soon became a priority. For nearly a decade after, I participated in anything that would promote originality in media creation. Organization involvement and leadership opportunities at my university were the top contributors to my growth prior to interning with a big company. In my extracurricular activities, the absence of boundaries pushed me beyond my comfort zone and helped me build a résumé I was proud of. With these experiences at hand, at the start of my internship application process, I knew I wanted to pursue editing.
Applying for The Walt Disney Company was a tedious and nerve-wracking experience. I spent an unparalleled amount of time preparing for my interviews. However, once I began speaking to who would eventually be my leader, everything felt right. Everyone I spoke to at the company was gracious and helpful. Conversations flowed naturally and they made me feel wildly comfortable.
Receiving the call that I got the internship was one of the happiest days of my life.
Leading up to my first day with the company, I had experienced an overwhelming amount of imposter syndrome. Subconsciously, I felt like I was not qualified enough for the role. Things felt too good to be true. In these instances, it was important to remind myself that everything I was involved in was for this moment. Universally, I wound up in that position for a reason.
My first day on the job filled me with an overwhelming sense of pride. I immediately was given tasks that were important to the team’s development. Learning things I actually wanted to base my career in was exciting. Nothing was based on a grade or a harsh deadline, but it was about learning about the publishing industry. Then, I got to implement that knowledge into legitimate projects for the company.
Often, I feel like college constantly stresses students. Working against the clock and deriving itself in maintaining a grade average, rather than soaking in useful material. Slipping into burn out is so easy when you feel like you aren’t professionally developing the way you would like. However, interning with a prestigious company, like Disney, reintroduced me to everything I loved about learning. More than anything, it reaffirmed my adoration for publishing.
It is simple to feel “over it” in college. I know I do all the time, but then magical things happen. Hard work pays off. Everything I had been striving for came to fruition last summer.
Now, if only that little girl standing in a Magic Kingdom souvenir shop could see me now…