Five Treatments for PDCPD

Since so many of my friends from the college program are just now beginning to return home, I thought this would be a great time to talk about treating the PDCPD (Post-Disney College Program Depression) that comes with finishing the program. Just a few things before I get started with this post-- First of all, if you haven't already experienced at least some form of PDCPD, you either haven't haven't been hit with the reality of moving back home yet, or you have never participated in the Disney College Program. If your college program is over but the PDCPD hasn't set in yet, I hope this post helps you prepare for the unique difficulties that come with post-DCP life. If you've never done the college program, I simply ask that you be respectful of this post, and towards any former CPs who might be having a tough time settling back into life at home. Until you've done the program yourself, you will never fully understand it, and making fun of posts like this one (or former CPs who miss the program) is not only rude, but also belittling to thousands of college students who have worked really hard interning for one of the best companies out there. 

1. Find something to look forward to at home.
I know firsthand that this can be extremely difficult, but you'll definitely feel much better if you have something to look forward to when you get home from the DCP. For me, this was initially difficult because I had already graduated from college, and I had not yet found a full time job. As a result, I felt like I had nothing to fill the void of free time that I had previously spent working at Disney. Eventually, I was able to find a full time job, which has been at least somewhat successful in getting me in the right mindset for moving back home. If you already have school or work back at home, try taking up a new hobby, or even just think about how nice (and not humid!) the weather is in your hometown compared to in Orlando.

2. Understand that no job will ever compare to working at Disney.
While I am very happy to have finally found a full time job, I think it's worth pointing out that it is by no means a replacement for Disney. I honestly don't think that any other job (especially in the service industry) will ever compare to working at Disney. And while this is a kind of depressing thought, I think it's important to understand this when going into your first post-Disney job to avoid later disappointment. While your new job (like mine) may not even begin to compare to how awesome working at Disney was, you can continue to use everything you learned from your Disney training and apply it to whatever you're doing now. 

3. Don't compare yourself to, or be jealous of, other CPs who stayed in Orlando.
This point brings up what is perhaps the biggest problem with social media. The increased sharing of personal stories and photos makes it really easy to become jealous of people who essentially have what you want. I've never really had this kind of problem with social media until I came home from the DCP, and constantly began seeing posts from Facebook friends, or on Snapchat and Instagram for CPs who chose (and were able) to stay in Florida. While I honestly can't help but be jealous of the CPs who were able to continue working for the company, jealousy is not going to help me in the long run, so it's definitely better to just focus on your own life, and not let what you see on social media get to you.

4. Remind yourself of all the good times you had on your program.
This point can kind of be a double edged sword. Remembering all the good times can make you happy, because you were able to have this awesome experience and you took away so many good memories, but it can also make you sad because your program is over. While it might initially make you sad to think about how great your program was, it's definitely better for you to focus on all the good times, and know how much of an accomplishment it was for you to be accepted into and complete the Disney College Program. 

5. Keep in touch with your friends.
Your DCP friends really do become your second family, and dealing with the end of your program will be so much easier if everyone keeps in touch. Take advantage of Skype or Google Hangouts, and really put in the effort of keeping in touch even though you all live in other parts of the country, and maybe even the world. These friendships are for life, and they're one of the greatest things you'll have taken away from the DCP.