As I sit here at my desk writing this column, I realize that it has been almost three weeks since I moved on campus. A lot definitely has changed since I first moved in, and I have come to love it here. For me, it is great to wake up in my own bed in my own room (or at least in my own half of the room) and go about my day as an independent adult in the university of my dreams.
It has been quite a whirlwind of events since the beginning of the semester, from the Kick-Off Fiesta and Meet the Greeks event to the Convocation and Club Fair. Going through all of these events and introductions into university life has allowed me to make a smooth transition here.
All of these events, especially the Club Fair, have allowed me to find common interests within my peers and understand that now is the time to try new things. Whether it is joining the club soccer team, the Honor Board, or the Knitting Club, it is important for me to step out of my comfort zone once in a while. Even though this is definitely not the most comfortable feeling (I can vouch for that), at the end of the day I can say that I did something that I never thought I would do.
A perfect example of this is two years ago in my junior year of high school, when I decided I would try my hand at participating my school’s spring production of CATS. Before that time, musicals really weren’t something that my friends would say I enjoyed doing. This is mainly because I hadn’t been that outgoing in the first year or so of high school, and I wasn’t really keen on trying new things. I would continuously pass up opportunities to try something new and I had had enough of it.
I finally decided that now was the time to reach out and step out of my comfort zone. That year I had been a part of my school’s spring musical and I had absolutely loved it. Even though I had very little singing and acting experience, I still gave it my best shot and ended up being one of the best performers in the show (that is an unbiased opinion of course). I had a great time, and I was glad that I had finally conquered my fear of being in situations that I find uncomfortable. Going through this experience allowed me to see for myself the importance and benefits of putting yourself out there.
The advice that I would give to my fellow freshmen is to try new things, even if you know they would make you feel uncomfortable at first. Sure, don’t do anything that you know might go against your better judgment, but make sure that at least once during your time here you toss caution to the wind and explore a new path.
