You’re sitting in a dark theater, clutching your warm, salty popcorn between your chubby little fingers. The familiar music booms through the speakers and the sparkles illuminate the screen. You see the golden spires, the waving flag, and the twilight sky as the camera pans out to reveal the iconic castle. The swooping letters glide across the screen: Walt Disney.  

Most of us experienced the magic of Disney growing up. We sat with our families enthralled by silly songs of “The Jungle Book” or envying Belle’s magnificent library in “Beauty and the Beast.” Disney movies gave us dreams of becoming a princess, or pillaging the Caribbean seas, or traveling to far-off lands to find your long-lost family. Yet these movies aren’t made only for six-year olds; the magic of Disney shouldn’t wear off as you grow up.

Now I understand. You’re a 20 year old college student. You gave up watching “The Lion King” once you turned twelve, swearing you were too old to watch a warthog eat worms and sing “Hakuna Matata.” Yet the fantastical fairy tales, the terrific tunes, and the quirky characters found in Disney movies are becoming more relatable than ever. 

The older you get, the more you need to be reminded not to take life so seriously. Here at Hillsdale, we are bombarded by rigorous coursework, the pressure to succeed, and the apparent inability to say “no” to upcoming opportunities. When we have free time, our first reaction is to scroll through Instagram, but we should start pulling out our computer and logging into our siblings’ Disney+ account. We should recognize the lessons and joy we can still experience by watching some animals sing in an enchanted forest. 

Disney movies provide an escape. Surrounded by gray clouds, patches of snow, and exhausted peers, we need bright colors and cheery characters to lighten the mood. Whether it’s the teals and turquoises and of the Australian coast in “Finding Nemo” or the imaginative costumes and jewel-tones of “The Princess and the Frog,” Disney immerses its viewers in a new universe and pulls the audience into these creative settings, leaving them inspired and encouraged after they leave this fantastical world. 

Disney has recently made strides to create more engaging characters that connect with the audience’s emotions, and, more specifically, show realistic familial relationships. Gone are the days of princesses shunning their fathers, ignoring their mothers, and awkwardly connecting with siblings. We no longer see stepmothers attempting to murder their children, like the evil witch in “Snow White,” or aloof, absent fathers that are pushing their daughters to marry like the sultan in “Aladdin.” Disney’s newest collection of families have more complex emotions, genuine relationships, and relatable family dynamics. 

One of Disney’s recent animated films, “Encanto,” featured the Madrigal family–all of whom possess magical abilities. As the story progresses, one of the grandchildren attempts to save their family’s magic, which is in danger of disappearing. While dancing donkeys and revolting rats enthralled the children, adults were attracted to the authentic familial interactions portrayed in the film.

The granddaughter, Mirabel, has arguments with her older sisters that replicated interactions with my own siblings. The interactions between the Madrigal family, whether it was scenes of them trying to behave at the dinner table or arguing about who was the “perfect” sibling, mirrored memories I have with my family and reminded me of the importance of those connections. 

With the characters acting, and looking, more realistic than ever, Disney movies offer a lot more than a good plot and fun songs: they teach us lessons. “Encanto” reminds us of the importance of effective communication, especially with siblings and parents. This is an especially sobering reminder to college students, who tend to think they’re invincible, and it comes in the form of an encouraging, entertaining, hour and a half program. 

So the next time you realize you have an hour to spare on a Tuesday night or are trying to brainstorm an activity in the Simpson lobby at 4 p.m. on a Saturday, log onto your computer and pull up your favorite Disney movie from when you were a kid. Just because you’re an adult does not mean you can’t learn lessons from their most recent films. Watch a Disney movie and don’t just “let it go.”