Whenever we start something new, we want to try our hardest, be the best, and strive to get the most out of our experiences.
Then comes the "getting used to it" part. When we've been experiencing something for long enough, it becomes routine, expected, and ordinary. Of course, it also brings comfort and familiarity.
For most people, the first semester of college brings excitement and experiences unparalleled to any other semester. For many people, the first semester of college marks the start of the friendships they will keep for the next few years. For some people, the first semester of college marks the most partying and social activity they'll experience in all four years.
Then comes the rest of it.
Once people have found their niche, and carved out their own little comfortable place in the campus community, it is very easy---and tempting---to stay there. Perhaps during a person's first fall semester, they tried out multiple clubs, met many new people, and figured out which ones stuck with them. They decided not to give the other clubs, the other activities, and the other people a second chance because now they belong somewhere.
Belonging somewhere is extremely important. It gives you a sense of structure, a sense of self, and a sense of community, all of which are important for psychological and social well-being.
However, belonging somewhere can be pretty limiting.
When everyone is new and nobody is connected, it is very easy to reach out and establish those connections, because it is what everyone is doing. Once you become connected, however, there suddenly isn't as much of a need to reach out.
It's important to remember, however, that although you may not be "new" and the people around you may not be "new," they are still new to you.
You have no idea how valuable people can become to you, and how valuable you can be to other people unless you make an effort. Also, you may realize that you have developed an interest in something that used to bore you before, because you are giving it a chance.
College gives you more than enough opportunity to practice spontaneity. Think about it. In high school you spent a whole academic year in the same class with the same people. In college, there's new people and new subjects every semester.
It seems to me that there's many more excuses for jumping out of your comfort zone, rather than staying in it. Once that initiative is taken, it ends up giving you so much more: a wealth of connections and experiences.
So go out! Join that club. Talk to a new person. Try a new passion project. Live life to the fullest.
