My Disney Obsession is with the Old Key West Resort, located in Walt Disney World in Florida. It may seem odd to be obsessed with a resort rather than a theme park, movie, character, or ride, but Old Key West has been a part of my entire life. Disney’s Old Key West Resort was the first Disney Vacation Club resort in Walt Disney World. 10 years before I was born, my grandfather became a member at the resort, and my family of 30+ people have stayed at Old Key West for 30+ years. Becoming a Disney Vacation Club member in 1991 was my grandfather’s way to celebrate my grandmother beating breast cancer, and my family all came along to create some memories in Walt Disney World. This celebration soon turned into a tradition as soon as the first of 11 grandchildren started graduating from high school. Every time a grandchild graduates, the entire family reunites in Disney World to celebrate. More specifically, we all gather at the Old Key West Resort in their grand villas. The pastel colors of the buildings, the Mickey Mouse heads on the spindles, and the smell alone inside of the villa brings me immense joy. This past July, my family of 33 came together to celebrate my high school graduation from 2020 at Walt Disney World. We filled three grand villas at Old Key West, all of which were within walking distance from each other. While the ambiance of the resort is something I am obsessed with, what means more to me is the memories my family has made at this resort. Cousins who came here as kids in the 90’s now bring their kids to the resort, showing them the magic as our parents and grandparents did for us. Being the last of 11 grandkids, we fulfilled my grandfather’s vision. Carrying on the legacy of simply reuniting and being together in one place as a family is what is most important to all of us. It does not have to be in Disney or at Old Key West to do this, but we have chosen to continue this tradition my grandfather started over 30 years ago. Coming back to Old Key West after 9 years made my eyes well with tears. Patiently, I waited to come back to Disney to be with my family after the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, we were all together, taking some time from our busy lives to be on vacation together. Truthfully, I believe we could have piled into one grand villa for a week and have had a great time, without venturing into the theme parks at all. Going to the pool, eating Premium Mickey Bars, playing card games, exchanging stories and catching up on life is truly what makes my obsession with this resort so strong. Old Key West’s main tagline is “Welcome Home”. Every time we come back to Disney, no matter how much time has passed, we always feel we are at our second home. Our family picture is hanging on the wall of Olivia’s, the main restaurant of Old Key West, 20 years later. The memories we have created together at this resort are ones we will all cherish. I recognize how privileged I am to have been born into a family which has the ability to continue this tradition and keep this magical legacy alive. Over any place in Walt Disney World, I will always choose to return home to Old Key West, where my heart feels at home.

The songs found within this playlist emphasize finding inspiration in meaningful moments made with other humans. As a dancer and avid music listener, I am constantly looking for inspiration within songs to choreograph a piece. The songs on this playlist take you through what can be a lifetime of moments, big and small. All of them tell a meaningful story I can find inspiration in when creating a dance. My main inspiration for this playlist is "It Gets Better" by Rex Orange County. This song exemplifies how profoundly someone can have a positive impact on your life.

Education opens doors to places one could never imagine. Not only does education allow humans to learn in-depth subjects such as our history, but it can teach us about ourselves and the future. By investing in any kind of education, you invest in a more developed individual. In my own life, education is currently allowing me to develop my passions and find ways to combine my interests. As a college freshman, I double major in Dance Studies and Psychology at Nazareth College in Rochester, NY. Dance has always been a part of my life and being able to pursue it and expand my knowledge of the art is transformative. As I continue my technical studies, I can learn about the history of dance and the impact the arts have on our world. As a psychology student, I can focus my studies on how our own minds and emotions can influence our lives. Not only am I able to learn how these affect outward interactions between humans, but I learn about myself more as well. I consider myself extremely lucky to be able to pursue an education in areas of my personal interest. I understand how valuable education can be, and not everyone can pursue higher education as I can. As I continue my studies, my career goals become clearer. I one day hope to educate dancers and other athletes about crucial skills for success and peak performance. I continue to find ways to combine my interests, and the field of Performance Psychology is an area that seems to be calling me. To achieve this goal in the future, I continue to cherish the gift of my education, knowing I can do anything if I stay focused on my goals. While education has an impact on career opportunities, it has an even greater impact on the individual. Education comes from all around, whether it be in higher education, videos from YouTube, or daily life lessons from the world around us. As I become a contributing individual to society, I learn more about all the world has to offer every day. From dearest family and friends, I am blessed to learn values that I will hold close to me for the rest of my life. Fun, little life lessons come out of a plethora of stories we tell to each other. The world is constantly evolving, meaning our minds and feelers for knowledge just continue to expand! Education has an enormous role in my life. As a full-time student, I dedicate my life now to my studies, knowing they will take me to where I aspire to be one day. Yet, as a full-time human, I stay alert to the world around me, knowing it has just as much to teach me!

This is Bear! While he has not been a part of our family for very long, he has turned our world upside down (in a good way!) This little guy is a fluffy rescue from Texas, and he is learning to adjust to the cold, snowy world of Rochester, NY! His energetic entrance into our lives has made our 2020 a bit more "Bear"-able! @hbardeen

"The wings of transformation are born of patience and struggle"- Janet S. Dickens. I fully trust in the quote, "Everything happens for a reason". At times, what may seem like the worst possible outcome hits you like a truck when it actually happens. For me, this was when I was rejected from my dream college. I began my college search unsure of what I wished to study or even what I wanted from the college itself. After one college tour, I found an open-curriculum was an asset I desired as I continued my college search. Still not knowing exactly what I wanted to study, I knew I had interests in both dance and psychology. I sought after small, selective colleges with open curriculums, ones that would set me up for success. I would be allowed to study what I wanted through this curriculum, which was extremely important to me. After much research, I found my perfect fit: Hamilton College. Located about two hours from my hometown, Hamilton College was a small, selective school with an open curriculum and majors in dance in psychology. A beautiful campus in Utica, NY, it was set near dance studios I grew up with. The college was quaint and exactly what I wanted. I attended a campus tour, an optional interview, and knew after just a day that this was where I needed to go to school. I continued showing demonstrated interest in Hamilton over time. Through an additional campus tour, optional essays, and video submissions to add to my portfolio of accomplishments, I felt confident in my early decision application. In addition to my optional application additions, I was invited to a college-level dance class by a professor at the college! I felt more than ready to attend this college, and all that was needed was a letter of acceptance. The day came to hear about early decision applications: December 12th, 2019. After doing an annual performance at a nursing home with my dance studio, I awaited any notification from the college in excitement (and in red lipstick). Surrounded by my parents and my dance family in Christmas costumes, I was ready for my acceptance. "I regret to inform you we are unable to offer you admission to Hamilton College". Shock and complete devastation rang through my body. Tears ran down my face, wiping off my stage makeup, and dashed college dreams with it. Months of hard work seemed all for naught as nothing but disbelief could be understood in those moments. It became hard to know what the next step would be, and when I would be ready to take it. My mother was the one who began to push me to look at other colleges. I could not believe after less than a week she wanted to schedule more tours. Could I not have my time to grieve? She started my search again by suggesting a more local institution, Nazareth College. Pointing out the small campus size, how close to home it was, and how they had both dance and psychology departments, she thought this could be a good fit. Dragged onto a campus tour just a few weeks following my rejection, I fully believed no college would beat what Hamilton possessed. To my surprise, Nazareth seemed like a better fit for me than Hamilton would ever be. After just one campus tour, I knew Nazareth would now be the place for me. All the work I did for my dream college prepared me to take on any other college, making all of my hard work valid in the long run. "Everything happens for a reason". I believe in this quote almost as much as my mother does, but my college journey shows the truth in this saying. After my first semester at Nazareth College, I have found the best fit possible in a college. As a dance and psychology double major, I feel I am fully furthering my education in both fields. I can focus on my career with the possibilities of internships and study abroad opportunities that Naz specifically partners with. The small campus allows for a close and comfortable community of peers I will grow to know better over these next few years. Not only can I study my passions, but I can further them through dancing on the Nazareth Dance Team, volunteering in my hometown, and finding educational and career opportunities in the area. My rejection from Hamilton College redirected me to where I really belonged, Nazareth College. While the journey can be uncomfortable, arduous, and full of confusion, the route to where you truly belong brings many transformations. Through this rejection in my life, it became the ultimate steppingstone to finding my perfect college fit.