Growing up, I was afraid of everything from monsters in the closet to the fire pole on the playground. I was so afraid of getting hurt that I would never overexert myself in sports or play. I didn't climb trees; I never broke a bone. I didn't ride a bike without training years until my eighth birthday. I never saw a point in risking a skinned knee when it could be avoided altogether.

Now that I'm in college, risks are a little different. I'm less concerned with scraping my elbow and more concerned with emotional pain, the kind that comes when you take a risk and fail. It's crippling and nerve-racking to think about. It makes us think that there's no point in giving whatever we want a try because we might regret it one day. But why?

Every time I've taken a risk, I've gained something. (Even if that "something" is a lesson learned through tears and a lot of ice cream.) But that doesn't mean it's not hard to be spontaneous -- I hate not knowing the likely outcome of a given situation.

However, my junior year of high school, I just decided on a whim to move to Chicago -- a city I'd only been to once -- and go to a school I'd never visited. I came home and told my mom, applied in the fall, and here I am.

Moving to college gave me the biggest gain of my life: independence. I learned how to manage myself and how to make friends in a big place. I couldn't be happier about my decision to move 500 miles from home.

Now that I've done that, I'm a little less reserved. I travel and go to shows alone, meet strangers for coffee, and say "yes" to most opportunities to experience something new, whether it's trying Cuban food or applying for internships way out of my reach.

The little things are easy. Just this Saturday, I ignored every alarm in my brain and played a 3D, immersive horror game. It was scary and silly but it was one of those moments where I had nothing to lose and an experience to gain. But not everything is so easy.

Sometimes, I'm still scared. There are moments when what you do will leave a lasting imprint on your life and change how you view yourself, maybe even how others view you. But when you're going back and forth in your mind, questioning, ignore all the potential consequences and ask yourself one thing: Does this feel right?

So apply for that internship. Ask the cute guy in your class on a date. Things might not turn out the way you planned, but you don't have a chance if you don't take one.

Take a chance, go out on a limb. Don't let your mind stop you from doing what your heart wants. In the long run, you won't regret it.

*Author's Note: I am not advocating for anyone to put themselves in unsafe or unhealthy situations spontaneously. Always make sure you're comfortable and safe.