Breaking out of your comfort zone is one of the most important things you can do to have a successful college experience. There are so many opportunities at your fingertips, but all of them require you to get a little uncomfortable at first.
Check out this video I did for the Pearson Students blog that shares a few tips on how to find the courage to break outside of your comfort zone.
Last weekend I went to Disney with a friend who is in her senior year of college. It was the last day of her Spring Break, and we roamed EPCOT, instagraming ourselves in every country, eating lots in Italy, China, and Germany.
When the sun went down it got chilly and we walked to our locker to retrieve our jackets. My friend returned the locker key inside, and the young guy behind the counter started making conversation with her. She learned he was an intern with the Disney College Program, and he kept asking her questions. I noticed this was more than just a friendly exchange. There was chemistry.
We walked away and she seemed to glow. We didn't talk about it, but continued excitedly into the park, rode Test Track, and then devoured honey chicken and sweet and sour pork in China.
But then, with a few grains of white rice left on the plate and in the contented silence after a perfect meal, my friend said, "I have this crazy idea that I should give that guy my number."
She is shy, and I have never been outgoing myself. But something about that statement just seemed right, exciting, and a perfect thing to do on the last day of spring break. So I said, "why not?"
So with a boldness I had never seen from her, she wrote down her number on the receipt after we paid for our meal, and we marched up to the front of the park. I could hear her heart pounding, trying to talk herself out of it but knowing she would kick herself if she didn't go through with it.
But when we peeked in the store, he was gone.
My friend realized that she wasn't ready to give up; she strolled in and asked the new people at the counter if his shift had ended or if maybe, just maybe, he was on break. Sure enough, he was on break and would be back in half an hour.
She left the store and we laughed, feeling like silly 7th graders.
We continued to dessert and watched the fireworks.
On our way out of the park, we peeked in that store one more time, officially feeling like stalkers. There he was, behind a counter teeming with tired vacationers trying to get their pictures from the day. It seemed like it was over.
But then, in an instant he moved to the end of the counter and there was a break in the line of customers; my friend walked into the store, said "hey, I don't usually do this, but you seem cool and I wanted to give you my number in case you ever want to hang out before you leave" (he lived in another state and was only in Florida for the college program).
I kept darting my eyes in to see his reaction; this guy's face lit up and he and the worker next to him looked stunned. I'm guessing this doesn't happen to them often.
I could also tell that their night had been made. My friend had given them a fun story to tell, had shaken things up, done something surprising, and came out on the other end feeling like she had grown in some unspeakable way.
I don't want to disappoint you, but this isn't a love story. The guy texted my friend the next day and said she indeed did make his day and he thought she was really cute, but that he was already talking to a girl at his college back home.
But all along we both knew this story was never about her and this guy living happily ever after. It was about doing something you don't usually do, something outside your comfort zone.
There was something magical in my friend's boldness. I've known her since she was a freshman in college, and I saw something new in her that day. Typically a shy, reserved person, she was now willing to reach out even when it seemed crazy.
This is not about why you should give random people your number (I do not recommend this in most situations), but it is about taking chances in your college experience, meeting new people, and being unafraid to be bold -- even if it means it might not work out the way you think.
Is there an opportunity you've been holding back on? Is there a person in your class you think seems cool but you're feeling too afraid to start a conversation? Is there something you've always wanted to do but are putting it off because you're scared?
Don't be afraid to put yourself out there. We rarely do because we want to avoid that burning feeling of rejection.
But when you take risks in spite of rejection, you might find that the burning feeling can also transform into fuel that can teach you something and propel you forward, towards a destination you might have never discovered otherwise.
So throw some caution to the wind and do something scary. It might not work out, and that's okay. But what if it does?
First of all, if you think I'm about to talk about anything raunchy, sexy, or alcohol-related you will be sorely disappointed.
Okay, so now that I've got three of you still with me, here is what I mean by experimenting in college ;) ....
I just got back from the library and I feel giddy with excitement. As a child, there was nothing I loved more than perusing the shelves for the latest Betsy and Tibby or Amelia Bedelia book. I still roam that same library, and while my books of choice have changed, the elation hasn't.
I put books on hold a lot, but what I love most is the aimless wandering, judging books by their covers and the first few sentences on page one, and deciding whether or not I want to give it a try.
I usually leave these wanderings with a stack of books so high I can barely see over it. And usually, out of 10 books I'll only really love one.
But it's in the search of that one that keeps me going. I can count on my hand the books that have significantly affected my life and altered my perspective - and most are books I never would have read if I hadn't walked down an aisle and randomly chosen something I'd never heard of before.
You should do the same thing in college. Search for opportunities. Wander your campus and read the flyers. Experiment with different clubs, interests, internships, and classes.
Even if you try out ten new things and only one works out, it could be the one that changes your life and your future forever.
I know that sounds dramatic, but I can honestly point to a few key random moments (and people) in my college life that without which I would not be where I am today. And looking back, I would have never encountered those opportunities if I hadn't experimented with different things, many that didn't work out.
Roam your campus. Meet people. Take advantage of every opportunity.
It just takes one.
