I come from a small-ish town in Eastern Oregon with about 15,000 people. Hardly anyone knows about it and lets be honest, most people don't even know that Eastern Oregon is civilized. They think we still get around in horse carriages and don't have phones. Let the truth be told that we have cars, and planes, and cell phones, and even internet. I moved to Boise about two months ago with hopes of finding my niche. All through high school, I was the over-achieving athlete. At my community college, I was student body president as well as a softball player. I had it made. Let the truth be told once again that my college only had about 3,000 students. It wasn't a difficult task to be involved the way I was. I moved here expecting to naturally be involved, but little did I know I was going to have to try and step out of my once community shaped comfort zone. I was overwhelmed. I was scared. I was new. I had never been 'new'. I was always surrounded by familiar faces and now I am lost in a sea of new and unfamiliar faces.
I came to Boise State knowing that I was going to be a part of the Student Assembly but I also knew it would be way different than the student government that I was used to. I was okay with this and was actually really excited to be a part of it. I got a job at a local Starbucks and the people I work with shortly became my family here. My classes started and I started making friends which made each day a little brighter. I then got offered the Editor in Chief position for Odyssey (HEY!) and began finding my niche.
There is something so refreshing about being the new girl. You get a fresh start, you get to make new friends, and you may receive new opportunities than you would have had you just stayed in your comfort zone. Part of me chooses to believe that my soul needed to be the new girl, even if just for a minute. It is so humbling, and a sweet reminder that things may not always go a planned - in fact, they rarely do - but they always seem to work out. And as my mother always says, "nothing great ever comes from inside your comfort zone." With all of the opportunities presented, friends that I have made, and the beautiful city that I live in, I think it is safe to say I am going to love it here.
