By Kaylin Tran

Entertainment Editor

As a senior in high school, it is only natural that I am constantly thinking about my future. I have been so consumed with complicated thoughts about college, grades, and money that I always find myself longing to go back to a time where all I had to worry about was remembering to pull my pants down before I used the toilet.

I will be the first to admit that my childhood was less than exciting, but it is a time that I like to reminisce about. Sure, waking up at 6:30 a.m. to watch “Dragon Tales” or having nap time everyday at school was pretty delightful, but nothing compared to jamming along to tunes from Disney Channel.

Nothing made me happier than to sing the words to “Breaking Free” from “High School Musical,” or to mouth “Sing to me, Paolo,” just before Hilary Duff’s character belted out her iconic song “What Dreams Are Made Of” from “The Lizzie McGuire Movie.” And who could forget the Jonas Brothers? Their smoldering looks made every girl start “Burnin’ Up.”

Above all, my entire childhood centered around one singer who taught me that “Nobody’s Perfect,” and whose secret identity made me long to have one of my own. Hannah Montana was, and still is, the most iconic pop star that Disney Channel has ever created, and I can shamelessly admit that I have several books narrating some of her show’s most popular episodes.

While all of these songs are extremely catchy, I confess that they are united by a larger, more important aspect; they all prepared me for the struggles that come with growing up. They taught me to break free of others’ expectations, to live in the moment, that I will start “Burnin’ Up” whenever I see someone remotely attractive, and that everyone’s flaws make them unique.

These songs prepared me to grow up, but sometimes make me want to go back to the days when I was still a child. They give me a sense of security, a feeling of home that comforts me as I embark on my journey into adulthood.

I will always long for the days when I used to eat waffles soaked in syrup in front of the television on Saturday mornings, but growing up is definitely something to be celebrated. No matter what age I am, “This is Me.”