| Written by Marina M. |
—A statement we all know is easier said than done; however, college will kick you out of your comfort zone eventually, whether you’re up for it or not (and that’s a good thing).
I stepped out of my comfort zone within my first couple days at Rutgers–Camden. I was a shy kid starting out at a school where I knew no one and so I was under the impression that I would just be coming to campus for class and heading straight home afterward (since that’s how it went throughout all of high school, anyways). But that was false! Things were different here: it seemed like everyone was in the same boat. All we wanted was to get those A grades so that we could get out as soon as possible (or, at least that’s what we bonded over). Once these friendship bonds were formed, it’s like I didn’t want to get away from these people. Soon I was having lunch with my friends out on the quad or going on a hunt every day for a nice study spot.
But I wouldn’t say getting out of your comfort zone is just limited to how social you can be. Your comfort zone can also be a barrier that limits you from taking advantage of certain opportunities. An example of that can be avoiding taking classes that require presentations or other opportunities that require the skills of public speaking. You will come to realize that you will have to face these kind of obstacles at least once throughout your academic journey. It’s all about just building the confidence to overcome that fear because you will need these skills to keep growing in order to expand your horizons and acquire even more skills! It never feels comfortable at first, but you will get the hang of it, I promise.
Whether it’s making new friends or going for opportunities that you would normally turn away from, now is the time to go for it! College is the time for growth. In order to come out of your shell, you need to be up for trying new things, even when they aren’t up your alley.
Three years later, I now give group campus tours weekly, speak on panels in front of a good number of people, and greet numerous prospective students on the daily as a Raptor Ambassador. I’d say that’s a pretty big step for a shy person, or, at least, it was.