During my first week of college, I was pulled into a discussion about what the purpose of pursuing a higher education was.

Among all the different ideas and conversations that were occurring, one question kept circulating around the group: whether or not it was normal or necessary for higher education to make you uncomfortable.

At some point in your education, you should be uncomfortable. Throughout high school, teachers would constantly censor themselves or aim to please everyone in the room, but that just isn't necessary anymore.

I want to be a better person and learn as much about the world as I can. And if I have to be uncomfortable and exposed to beliefs and ideas that I'm not used to or that I disagree with, then so be it.

There are so many people in the world, it's impossible for us all to agree with one another. But if we don't listen to what everyone has to say, how are we going to reach any sort of conclusion or compromise?

How are things supposed to change for the better if we don't address what's holding us back?

We are all so afraid of being wrong or not knowing as much as the people around us. Because of this, we deliberately avoid having conversations about certain topics or standing up for what we believe in.

This doesn't mean you have to be uncomfortable all the time. Some classes just aren't geared toward issues that inspire conversation and spark debates. However, some of them do.

It may not be easy, but you should hold your own while keeping an open mind. Listening to understand, and not to respond, is weird, but it's what can turn an open discussion into something amazing.

I love learning. I hope that, throughout my life, I continue to learn and grow as a person and individual. Education is a valuable gift that not everyone gets to experience, but it doesn't just have to be done in a classroom.

By putting yourself out there and exposing yourself to new ideas and concepts, you'll learn so much about yourself and the people around you.

It will definitely not be easy at first, but when you start getting comfortable with being uncomfortable, your world will open up.