Mary Lib Saine

Hi! My name is Mary Lib, a rising junior Mathematics and Information Technology double major at Furman from Columbia, South Carolina. I’m absolutely stunned that I’m already halfway done with undergraduate. The past two years at Furman have exceeded all expectations I had when coming to college and I’m so thankful for the opportunities and experiences that Furman provides – especially this one, the Math and the Mouse MayX! I first discovered this MayX as a high school senior visiting Furman, when I saw a flyer for it in our student center. It was love at first sight. In that moment, I knew Furman was no doubt the place for me :) I've loved math ever since I was little, so a trip that combines my favorite academic interest, math, and my favorite place in the world, Disney World, of course - does it get any better than that?

I also hope that these next three weeks will be able to offer me a greater understanding of the vast variety of ways that math is integrated into our daily lives. This trip is the perfect opportunity to learn about different applications of math for occupations in the real world, even in Disney World, where math is usually the furthest thing from people’s minds.

Favorite Restaurants

One of my favorite restaurants in Magic Kingdom is Pecos Bill Café in Frontierland! I’m a huge fan of Mexican food and the “Wild West” atmosphere is really cool! Although I love all food, I have a huge sweet tooth. So, one of my favorite places in Disney is this little French ice cream stand in Epcot! Another one of my favorite restaurants in Disney World is Sunshine Seasons in Epcot. I’ve never actually eaten there…but I just really love the way it smells! But hey, there’s a first time for everything. I think May 2016 is my time.

Favorite Attractions

I love all of the "mountain" rides in Magic Kingdom! Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Thunder Mountain Railroad…they’re all amazing. Also in Magic Kingdom, I love the Swiss Family Treehouse. As a kid, this was one of my favorite places in the parks because I thought it would be so cool to live in a treehouse (and still do)! In Epcot, my favorite ride is the Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros. Although you may have never heard of it (I promise it’s real), I think it’s the hidden gem of Disney World. The Gran Fiesta Tour is a boat ride in Mexico that takes you to scenes from across the country. But, my favorite part of the ride is that it’s all in the dark- it’s almost as if you were actually under the stars at night cruising down the Rio Grande! Sadly, Soarin will be closed while we are in Disney World, but in the past, this has been one of my favorites as well! In Animal Kingdom, I’m most looking forward to riding Expedition Everest because of the thrill (it even goes backwards at one point). I also can’t wait to ride the Rock ‘n’ Roll Coaster and the Tower of Terror in Hollywood Studios!

I’ll let you in on a secret: I’ve been to Disney World 6 times…but “too much Disney World” is not a concept I’m familiar with (much to my family’s dismay), so I’m super excited to go back again! Next time you hear from me, we’ll be in the happiest place on Earth!