The View From the Outside

By Kimberly Garcia
Blog Content Contributor

I have always liked my comfort zone. Until recently, I was fine staying there for a long time, but since I have been a part of many discussions that take me outside of my comfort zone and encouraged myself to try different foods or go to new places, I found that being outside of this zone was more exciting.

Since starting my second year a Texas State, I wanted to make sure that it was different that my first, meaning that I did everything I wanted to without worrying. Many times during my first year, I was hesitant about doing something, like going to the movies, by myself. I was always reliant on others to do something with me, but this year, I decided that I would do the things I wanted no matter what. It was difficult to become comfortable being by myself, but once I did, I was able to fully enjoy whatever it was I was doing. I realize that some people may not be comfortable going to different places by themselves, but I think that not going to those places because no one could or wanted to is worse than being alone at those places.

I have always been a picky eater. This year, I have tried to change that by trying different kinds of food, no matter the ingredients used to make them. Before, if I would see that a dish had potato, I was not for it at all. I would politely avoid eating it at all costs. Seeing everyone else who had the dish and enjoyed it made me feel like I was missing out on something. So after trying it and falling in love almost immediately, I began to wonder what other treats I have eaten because they had potato. This taught me that I should go outside of my regular food palate so that I could taste different foods and find delicious trays to enjoy.

Meeting people that had different views than mine was exciting. I like to hear the other side of arguments and people’s reasoning for why they go with one side or another on different topics. Whenever I hear people that say that they don’t feel comfortable talking about certain topics, I feel bad because they are not allowing themselves to be educated on the other side. I think it’s important to hear different sides in an argument, even if you are uncomfortable, because it gives you a new perspective. If no one never argued that the world was round and not flat because they were uncomfortable with the idea of being the outsider, then who knows how long it would have taken for society to learn that it was round?

Going outside of your comfort zone, in any aspect of the concept, isn’t easy, but keeping in the same mind set for a while is a perfect recipe to stop growing and learning. Exposing yourself to different ideas and activities can teach you about others and yourselves, and who doesn’t want to do that?

Featured image by Madison Tyson.