As a senior, I have been reflecting on how my college experience has played out. I could have never guessed where I would be today, but I wouldn’t change it. I have a dream internship, the best group of friends and opportunities I didn’t even think were possible. And it’s all because I didn’t stick to one thing; I tried everything. This is not only in the professional and academic sense, but in the social sense as well. I wanted my time in college to be a learning experience, so I tried as many things as possible. Now I have set myself up for success to hopefully land a full-time job out of school, as well as made my time in college unforgettable.
The Fear of Failure
Stepping out of your comfort zone is scary, I’m not going to lie. But I think it’s important to learn what you like and don’t like. The point is, you never know until you try it. This applies to going to the bar, getting a new job, trying a new club or sport, etc. The fear of failing and looking stupid is something I’ve had trouble getting over, and I think it’s a common thing, especially for women. We’ve been put under this hypothetical microscope for who knows how long, so, of course, it’s scary to not know what you’re doing. But looking stupid is okay, it’s something to laugh about later, and it makes a great story.
My looking-stupid moment is immortalized online forever, and I’m okay with it. The video above is one for my internship, and there’s truly no denying how terrible I am at basketball. But it made people laugh, it made me laugh, so I’m honored to look dumb. I never would have been in the position to make this stupid video if I didn’t try something completely out of my comfort zone.
No Regrets
Another thing to think about is regretting something. College is probably the last time you can have a million hobbies and side quests, so why constrain yourself to one thing? I never wanted to regret not trying something, because if I hated it, I never have to do it again! You only get to be young for so long, so make the most of the time you have. You truly never know who you will meet, what will happen, and what can come from it. I have taken every opportunity I possibly could, and if I didn’t like it, I found something else. If things were out of my control, I found a way to take control of myself. There’s always going to be the irrational, so why stress about that? I know that I am the happiest I’ve ever been because I took risks, met new people, stepped out of my comfort zone, and made the most of every experience!
SCrew it, we ball
This is something I’ve been saying to myself for the past year or so. It’s been a little more explicit, but you get the idea. It’s basically saying caution to the wind and whatever happens, happens. If something is meant to be, it will be for me. And if not, there’s something better. I’ve taken this very dumb mantra with me as I do things that scare me because being able to say I did it is a feat within itself. It can be big things like taking a new internship or changing your major, to small things like trying a new style or eating a different cuisine. The point is, it’s okay to not know what you want, and trying new things can help. I’ve also heard the phrase, “Do it for the plot,” which I love. It’ll be a great story no matter what, so add to your lore.
Just go try it!
So, get out there and do new things! I know it’s not as easy as it sounds, but living in fear of the unknown is not living. Face your fears and get out of your comfort zone. We only get to be in our 20s for so long, so live life to the fullest!