From the moment I saw the commercial, I started screaming. Chills literally ran down my spine, and I felt a little too nostalgic. “The Lion King” was back.

Like many, “The Lion King” is my favorite Disney movie. It was first released when I was only 2 years old, but that didn’t stop me from watching it every single day with my Papa. My mom fondly tells me that I would sit on the couch, kick my legs violently and scream at the top of my lungs “Lion King, Lion King!” every day.

My mom, being the patient saint that she is, put up with this behavior and then some by buying me all of the memorabilia that my little heart desired. I would watch the movie in my “Lion King” sleeping bag, and each time Rafiki held up baby Simba during “The Circle of Life,” I would do the exact same with my stuffed animal version. Those were definitely the days.

Throughout the years, sequels of the movie such as “The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride” and “The Lion King 1 1/2” were released, but it just wasn’t the same. I needed the original, and when I found out it would be in 3D, I thought all of my dreams had come true.

I was determined to see it, no matter what. After a few days of failed attempts to convince my friends that paying $12 to see this movie in 3D would be worth it, I made the painful decision to wait another three days to see the movie when I was back at home for the weekend.

I sat down with my popcorn and my sister, who was slightly embarrassed by my giddiness, and readied myself to watch the movie I’ve been in love with for the past 17 years.

Everything about the movie was as great as I had remembered, and the 3D aspect only made it better. However, about halfway through the movie, I came across a realization: I’m getting old.

Now, I know that anyone reading this would disagree with me and say that I have my whole life ahead of me, but I still felt uneasy. As weird as it may sound, this was my first time watching “The Lion King” as adult Simba.

When I was a little kid, I would watch Simba as a lion cub, and I was able to relate. He was just a little kid who had a crush on Nala and not a care in the world. Now it’s easier for me to relate to adult Simba, who feels as though he has the weight of an entire kingdom on his shoulders.

Being in college, especially at a competitive one like this University, can create a lot of stress. Balancing school, sleep and a social life is a juggling act that everyone struggles with.

Our futures are just ahead of us, and the pressure to get on the pathway to a career is ever mounting. It’d be nice to really goof off and act like a little kid again.

At the same time, it’s definitely a good thing that adult Simba is more relatable for me now. As a sophomore in college, I need to be growing up. In two short years, I’ll be thrown into the real world, and acting like a lion cub isn’t going to get me anywhere.

To anyone who has yet to see it, buy a ticket to the 3D show, or just watch the original on an old VCR.

I never expected to learn more from a movie that I first watched when I was a toddler, but I definitely did. Like Mufasa says, you must take your place in the “Circle of Life.”

_Taylor is a sophomore in DGS._