We've all heard the saying, "Life begins at the end of your comfort zone", but over Fall Break that hit me like a ton of bricks. I was given the amazing opportunity to travel to New York City and I was absolutely blown away. I fell in love with the city in the 4 days I was there and I can honestly say I was depressed when we had to leave. I am a small town girl who would have never thought I would enjoy one of the largest cities in the world, but I was so wrong.
If I had not gone on this trip, I probably would have gone the rest of my life thinking I hated big cities and that it wasn't for me. How would I have known that the hustle and bustle and bright lights of Time Square would have fascinated me so much?
My point for this week is to encourage everyone reading to go somewhere they never thought they would go. We are young and the world is our oyster! Why not work a few years after graduation near a beach or in Seattle or heck, maybe even overseas. Once we are getting married and starting families the opportunities to move and travel will probably not come back to you until your kids are graduated and off on their own. Don’t let this time get away from you!
If you are a homebody, this might sound absolutely crazy to you. I know some of you are reading and thinking, “no when I graduate I’m going back to where my parents are” and believe me, I thought the same thing for the longest time. I am a homebody and I love being around my family more than anything, but I think when I got home from New York it really made me realize I could be away from them and be just fine. I think it takes that one place that you fall in love with to make you understand that you can go off on your own and live well.
If you move somewhere far away where you don’t know anyone, you will learn so much about yourself. You will miss your friends and family, but that’s the comfort you need to get away from. And like I said, it’s not forever and ever. You can always go back home once you have finally had enough, or who knows, that new place might be new home.
Many of you freshmen and sophomores probably aren’t thinking about where you will be after graduation, but I encourage everyone to at least do a little research on where your major can take you. Majority of the time, it can probably take you anywhere. What is it going to hurt to just look around? If you find somewhere you might consider, definitely take a chance and visit. Whether it’s a spring break road trip or just a weekend away, it will make a big difference. If you are a senior, I suggest setting up some informational interviews while you are there. They are casual and there is no pressure attached with them because people love to talk about themselves.
If I hadn’t stepped outside of my comfort zone and fully taken in the experiences I had in New York, then I would still be freaking out about where I will be after graduation. I can breath easy knowing that whatever happens, I’m going to be ok because I am welcoming the new and unknown with open arms!
