From a young age, we are trained to stay in our comfort zone because stepping outside of it would cause complete pandemonium, right? Wrong. In fact, in order for the average person to thrive as an individual, they need to step out of their zone and explore the real world. By taking risks, you gain new experiences and learn about who you are as a person, something that you wouldn’t have otherwise known had you not had such an experience.

As a student, I stayed in the same clique for about ¾ of my high school career. I didn’t dare join any clubs or audition for the talent show or befriend anyone new. All I did was what I had learned to do best: blend in. Blending in worked for me during high school. I went from a middle school nobody to a well-liked somebody in an instant. I wasn’t the Homecoming Queen, but I definitely wasn’t Carrie White either. However, those years were only short-lived and passed by me like a bat out of hell.

The summer after high school graduation proved to be the most life-changing for me. The first couple days were nice. It felt like I was in some sort of a dream; I couldn’t believe how quickly high school flew by and it just seemed so weird that I would never have to walk through LHS’s doors again. My friends and I celebrated by going to the beach, spending a majority of our graduation money, throwing parties and getting drunk. These were the days we were supposed to celebrate and the celebrations were fun, but they grew old, real quick.

I soon became restless. I wanted to make that summer count, but not by getting blackout drunk every night. I wanted to go on adventures, try something new, experience something I never had before. I decided to make myself a summer bucket list of all the things I wanted to try that summer; I figured that this might be a way to relieve my restlessness. However, my fair-weather friends were not on board with this idea and we went our separate ways.

Even though I was heartbroken that my “friends” proved to not be true ones, I had the best summer of my life. I went to the beach more often, I went to a few concerts, I made new friends, I went zip lining, I went to Darien Lake for the first time in seven years, but most of all, I made each day count. I was no longer unhappy with my life, and I truly felt better about myself. It took pushing me out of my comfort zone for me to really change for the better. Had it not been for me stepping up to the plate and taking more control of my life, I might still be in that unhappy, restless state of mind.

My first year of college helped me change even more. I decided to join a couple clubs, such as The Writers’ Circle and the Love Project and instead of waiting for people to approach me, I approached them. I also took a couple different classes, like Cultural Anthropology, Exploring the Contemporary Superhero, and Philosophy of Person, and I learned that I really enjoy anthropology and philosophy. I felt more comfortable in college than in high school because while I was trying to fit in during high school, I was learning to stand out in college.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not expecting someone to throw their whole life away, but if you’re unhappy with your life, you need to change it. If you don’t like your job, look for something else. If you don’t feel like you and your friends are connecting, make new ones. If you’re unhappy with the major you chose, switch it. And if you’re unhappy, do not stay in your comfort zone because it’s convenient. We only have one life, we might as well make it count. Try something new today.