When I moved to UC Davis on September 23rd, the first thing I did for myself was get a library card from the Mary L. Stephens Davis public library. In a moment of nostalgia, I picked up the Lioness Rampant series by Tamora Pierce. It is a great book series with a strong female lead. I have read it many times as a pre-teen and learned so much about following my dreams, friendship, and bravery from Pierce.
However, I was not captivated by the story the same as before. On my next library trip, I walked past my familiar books and picked up a new one by Sharon Shinn: The Mystic and the Rider. I absolutely loved it and met new characters. I read their relationships progress and got sucked into their world. It made me think more about human nature and what might have been Shinn’s inspiration for the story.
University life, I have discovered the past two months, is just like my dilemma between a new or old book. You can keep on doing the same activities, stick with old friends, and probably not gain any new benefits from it. Or, you can go out on a limb and try something new. This small act of bravery may lead to new friends, new interests, and favorite foods. Sometimes it will be a flop. It is impossible for every new book or experience to be awesome, but at least you tried. And as my mom says, trying once makes the next time easier.
Source: Giphy
As a new student I have had a plethora of opportunities to try new things. The first thing I tried when I moved in was the New Student Celebration. First was a talk with faculty and performances by clubs. I felt drowned out by the sheer number of students in the ARC. It is one thing to read about the number of students, but another to see all of the people together. Over the next few weeks, I attended so many welcome socials, resource fairs, and events that my head was spinning. I signed up for the clubs I saw, which helped me make new friends.
The biggest flops I have experienced were both in auditions. I really like to sing, so I decided to audition for a choir group. I practiced the days before and warmed up before showing up. Standing in from of the judges though, I froze my voice cracked and wavered. I did not show the extent of my abilities at all. Unsurprisingly, I did not get in due to my stage fright!
The other audition I tried was a ballet group audition. I have danced on and off since I was really young. I have not practiced ballet over the summer, so I also did not get into that group. Happily they let anyone join their ballet practices on Sundays, so I can still enjoy doing ballet.
Cover image source: Pexels