Everything is not… what it seems! If you don’t know what I’m talking about, you missed out on the the best five years in Disney Channel history. Wizards of Waverly Place was a Disney show that aired from 2007-2012. The show broke record after record with its imagination and excitement, while staying relatable to the young audience watching.

I remember coming home from a long day at school. My mom would be cooking dinner, and I would be finishing up my homework at the kitchen table. The TV would be on in the other room and I could hear Selena Gomez AKA Alex Russo come on and wave her wand in the shape of Mickey Mouse ears before announcing that Wizards of Waverly Place was coming on. I would spring out of my chair and rush to the couch to watch this all-time favorite show of mine.

Wizards of Waverly Place was a show about a seemingly average family, but behind the doors of their family sub shop, they were a family of wizards. They had three kids: Justin, the smart “goody-two-shoes” of the family who only used his powers for good or when asked to do so; Alex, the witty, feisty, wild-child; and Max, the youngest, not the smartest, who never thought anything through.

The show taught me how to love myself and all the things that made me unique, how to be creative, and how to feel powerful in my own way. In elementary school, I was shy and extremely insecure. Wizards of Waverly Place made me feel strong as a person. I embodied the personality traits of all three siblings, making Wizards Of Waverly Place the most influential show of my childhood.