{"id":189944,"date":"2026-03-13T09:44:07","date_gmt":"2026-03-13T09:44:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/189944\/"},"modified":"2026-03-13T09:44:07","modified_gmt":"2026-03-13T09:44:07","slug":"theme-parks-help-college-students-reconnect-with-their-inner-child","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/189944\/","title":{"rendered":"Theme parks help college students reconnect with their inner child"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\"\"<\/a>Sometimes the best way to survive college isn\u2019t studying harder \u2014 it\u2019s giving yourself permission to have fun. ORACLE PHOTO\/CLARA ROKITA GARCIA<\/p>\n

When I moved from Brazil to Tampa to attend USF in 2022, having Orlando just an hour and a half away was definitely one of the perks that sealed the deal.<\/p>\n

But between internships and classes, what initially sounded like a constant vacation to world-famous theme parks quickly turned into a distant fantasy that only happened once or twice a year.<\/p>\n

So with USF\u2019s midterms hitting their peak last week, I decided to prioritize something that doesn\u2019t always make it into a syllabus \u2014 mental health.<\/p>\n

To me, that meant taking a spontaneous day trip to Orlando to visit Universal Studios Florida<\/a> and Universal Islands of Adventure<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This weekend, I learned that taking a break and reconnecting with your inner child might be exactly what college students need to stay sane.<\/p>\n

I had no idea of the impact a 13-hour escape would have on my overachiever brain that constantly tells me I should probably be studying, working or answering emails.<\/p>\n

Related: OPINION: Beating senioritis as a USF student<\/a><\/p>\n

I rarely get the chance to visit theme parks during the spring semester. Fall always feels manageable, but spring deadlines appear out of nowhere and I get buried under assignments.<\/p>\n

But the thought of riding rollercoasters and having Butterbeer<\/a> as a reward for not passing out felt like the perfect way to celebrate surviving midterm week without completely losing my mind.<\/p>\n

Around the same time, my TikTok algorithm started showing me videos about Universal Mardi Gras<\/a> \u2014 a seasonal spring event featuring parades, beads, concerts and food from around the world.<\/p>\n

And as someone who proudly considers herself the queen of collecting all kinds of beads during Gasparilla<\/a>, Tampa\u2019s pirate-themed festival, I immediately felt drawn to the event.<\/p>\n

I arrived at Universal Islands of Adventure around 10 a.m. and encountered the first \u2014 and honestly, only \u2014 real challenge of the day.<\/p>\n

Employees initially couldn\u2019t find my reservation, which left me awkwardly standing there, wondering if the universe was punishing me for skipping my study sessions.<\/p>\n

Luckily, guest services quickly saved the day and even gave me a celebration button to make up for the half hour I spent standing in line.<\/p>\n

The park-hopper tickets really helped me get the most out of both parks, as I could move freely between them while also taking the Hogwarts Express and feeling like a wizard.<\/p>\n

Related: OPINION: What freshman me would think of senior me<\/a><\/p>\n

As a die-hard Harry Potter fan \u2014 and extremely proud Ravenclaw \u2014 I immediately headed to Hogsmeade<\/a>\u00a0for some very serious merch scouting.<\/p>\n

But the moment that truly made me feel like a kid again was being chosen for the Ollivanders wand experience.<\/p>\n

Ollivanders Wand Shop<\/a> offers an interactive show that recreates the iconic scene from the Harry Potter series where a wizard is chosen by their wand.<\/p>\n

Usually, about 20 people pack into the small wand shop, hoping to be selected for the experience.<\/p>\n

But I fear that in my case, I may have been an obvious choice \u2014 as I was wearing a Severus Snape T-shirt<\/a> and started crying happy tears as soon as I walked into Ollivanders.\u00a0<\/p>\n

You still have to pay for the wand if you\u2019re chosen, which can cost around $65<\/a>. But I didn\u2019t hesitate to buy mine as employees excitedly pointed out how much it resembled Snape\u2019s.<\/p>\n

The Ollivanders employees made my 22-year-old self feel like a kid again by choosing a wand that perfectly matched my aesthetic and my long-standing obsession with Snape.<\/p>\n

And we all know being 22 is a weird age. We\u2019re not teenagers anymore, but we definitely don\u2019t feel like adults just yet.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The American Psychological Association<\/a> describes this stage as \u201cemerging adulthood,\u201d a period where people in their twenties are still figuring out identity, independence and what they\u2019re actually doing with their lives.<\/p>\n

This explains why crying over a wand in a fictional wizard shop felt oddly therapeutic.<\/p>\n

After recovering emotionally, I went on every ride I possibly could at Islands of Adventure \u2014 including Jurassic World VelociCoaster<\/a> and Doctor Doom\u2019s Fearfall<\/a> \u2014 before leaving for Universal Studios and the Mardi Gras festivities.<\/p>\n

Related: OPINION: Our lives are too curated. It\u2019s time to develop personal taste<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>I grabbed a pizza at Louie\u2019s Italian Restaurant and stayed right outside to watch the Mardi Gras parade. ORACLE PHOTO\/CLARA ROKITA GARCIA<\/p>\n

The parade<\/a> kicked off at 7 p.m., and suddenly a chunk of the park transformed into a giant bead-throwing competition.<\/p>\n

The parade itself was electric. Massive floats rolled through the streets while performers filled the spaces between them.<\/p>\n

Some performers were juggling and walking on stilts, which instantly reminded me of the many times my parents took me to the circus when I was little.<\/p>\n

Watching hundreds of adults cheer for flying beads made it feel as if everyone there had collectively agreed to forget their responsibilities for a few hours.<\/p>\n

Finally, it was time for the concert held at the Music Plaza Stage.<\/p>\n

Related: OPINION: USF\u2019s music scene is the lifeblood of the campus<\/a><\/p>\n

Previous nights had featured artists<\/a> like Kaskade<\/a> and RuPaul<\/a>, but the night I attended was headlined by Ziggy Marley.<\/p>\n

Ziggy Marley, a reggae artist and the eldest son of Bob Marley, began his solo career in 2006 and recorded many Grammy Award\u2013winning albums, according to Biography.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Listening to Ziggy Marley perform under the warm Florida sky instantly took me back to beach days with my family in Brazil, where the Marleys are basically our official soundtrack.<\/p>\n

The entire day felt like a trip back in time. From riding attractions I once cried about not being tall enough for to recreating photos from 15 years ago, the experience helped me reconnect with my inner child.<\/p>\n

And by doing that, I somehow managed to recover the mental health I left somewhere around freshman year.<\/p>\n

So here\u2019s my advice \u2014 take the day trip to Orlando. You can spend a full day at the parks, skip the expensive hotel stay and return to Tampa the same night.<\/p>\n

But more importantly, you get to press pause on the constant pressure to be productive.<\/p>\n

And sometimes, reconnecting with your inner child is exactly what your overworked college brain needs.<\/p>\n

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