If there's anything I've learned this semester, it's that really cool things can happen when you branch out of your comfort zone. If you try something new, you can learn a lot about yourself. You may even discover that you love this new hobby, activity or method you've tried out and it could become a staple of your routine. And what better time than spring to shake things up?

You don't have to do something drastic to change up your life, either. It can be something as simple as trying a new hairstyle or deciding to sign up for a different class next semester. I think that it's the little things that really add up to something unique and amazing. For example, I decided to take a poetry class this semester instead of going for my usual English credit. The last time I took a poetry-based class was during my freshman year when I took an introduction to the writing genres. Long story short, I tried something new for myself (well, something I hadn't done/experienced in a long time) and it paid off immensely. I fell in love with writing poetry just like I did during my first year. It's amazingly beautiful and surprisingly simple to craft once you get the hang of it. And I've loved getting to share my work with my peers and hear what they have written as well.

Yes, things may not always go how you want them to, and maybe the risk you take won't be the best -- but at least you can say you tried, you know? That's better than nothing. I think that we sometimes psyche ourselves out of great opportunities because we don't think we're good enough, or we overthink it to the point where we lose interest. It's unfortunate that it happens, but in order to turn that around, all you've got to do is something different. Don't be afraid of it, try to embrace it. If you come up with an idea: then go for it. Do your research. Start planning. Draw up ideas or write down what you want to accomplish with this new endeavor. Then take some deep breaths and take the plunge. You got this, I promise. You might surprise yourself. And you'll definitely learn something from it.