Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone

College life provides many opportunities to try exciting new things. Whether it be through a club, a class, or just randomly falling into something, one can always find ways to explore unfamiliar terrain. The fact that there are so many ways to get out of your comfort zone, however, doesn’t make it an easy thing to do. After all, one’s comfort zone is, well, comfortable.

from flickr.com, posted by Joe Shlabotnik

I am definitely guilty of wanting to stay in the safety of my comfort zone, but I’ve decided as a makeshift New Year’s Resolution to myself, to I try new things, take chances, make mistakes, and spend more time exploring the world around me. And college is definitely the best time to do this.

So, to help others who, like me, tend to choose comfort over experience, I’ve compiled a list of small things you can do to get out of your comfort zone and be more open to experience while in college:

1. Say yes more. I’ve realized that I’ve missed out on many cool opportunities because I was too quick to say “no.” It’s normal to be frightened by new things, but if what’s being asked of you isn’t dangerous or life-threatening give it a try. You never know, you could end up loving it.

2. Take a class that terrifies you. This semester I’m taking two classes that qualify for this category: Introduction to Acting and Oral Communication. If you find a subject to be remotely interesting or useful, but something about it makes you nervous, take it. And if it’s a difficult class, take it pass/fail.

3. Join a club based on personal interests. It’s really easy to join organizations because your friends are in them or recommend them to you, but if there’s a club focusing on something you enjoy, that maybe your friends aren’t into, join it by yourself. It will help you be more independent and it’s a great way to meet new people who have similar interests to you.