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Entity explains why you should try new things in college.

Going to college automatically propels you into a new environment where you’re surrounded by new people and overwhelmed by new experiences. Your mind spirals as you think about all the changes you’ll have to overcome in the next four, five or six years. So instead of taking those first steps to making the most out of your college experience, you wallow in your comfort zone.

Instead of going to a new club meeting, you stay home and curl up in your bed as you cradle a bowl of ramen in your hands. Instead of trying out for the rugby team, you stay in the library and convince yourself that you have too many exams to study for. It’s not your fault. Knowing that you’ll have to learn to adapt and adjust can be so overwhelming that all you want to do is retreat to the security of familiarity.

But you’ll never know what you missed out on if you never give yourself the chance to try. So to encourage you, here are four reasons you should experiment with something new in college.

1 TRYING NEW THINGS CAN ACTUALLY HELP YOUR CONFIDENCE.

When you’re constantly putting yourself out there, you’ll become more accustomed to handling your nervousness. Perhaps you’ve always wanted to try spoken word poetry, but you’re too nervous to face the dozens of eyes that will be watching you. In order to get over this fear, start small. Read a special poem to a few trusted friends and overcome how your body reacts to this fear. Keep doing it until you can comfortably increase the number of people watching you. You never know how much fun trying new things will be.

According to The Upswing Report, “Going out on a limb and trying something new takes confidence. And the more you do it, the easier it will become. Soon, you’ll even surprise yourself with your newfound self-assurance.” The best part about this experience is that once you’ve gotten over one fear, that only takes you one step closer to getting over other fears.

READ MORE: A Woman’s Guide to Becoming an Epic Slam Poet

2 YOU WON’T HAVE ANY REGRETS.

You don’t want to get out of college and regret not taking that class that seemed interesting, not going bungee jumping when your friends did or not studying abroad even when you wanted to. If you’ve always wanted to travel and you had the chance in college but were too afraid, just ask yourself: When are you going to find the time to do it again? What happens if you just become increasingly busy the older you get?

It’s better to try something new and hate it afterwards because if you at least try, you still get something out of it – you learn valuable lessons about yourself, your preferences and your desires. If you don’t try at all, then you’ll never know what it would have been like. Pop Sugar says, “Taking action is a challenge – but one with lifelong results.” When you put yourself out there and experiment, you may be risking your money, time or reputation, but at least you’ll be able to say you had the experience.

READ MORE: Big Dreams But No Plan? It’s Time to Take Action

3 YOU MAY FIND SOMETHING YOU REALLY ENJOY.

Psychology Today writes, “Entire careers [and] entire life paths are carved out by people dipping their baby toes into small ponds and suddenly discovering a love for something they had no idea would capture their imaginations.” Just think about all of your hobbies and favorite things in your life. How did you discover them? Chances are, someone else introduced them to you and you were courageous enough to try it.

College is a time where many people find themselves through experimentation. In college, people find organizations, movements and activities that they are passionate about. Push yourself to volunteer in another country, protest with a social justice group or take that archery class because you may just find something new to love.

READ MORE: It’s Never Too Late: 10 Hobbies You Can Start in Your Twenties and Love for Life

4 TRYING NEW THINGS PUSHES YOU TO GROW.

It’s hard to grow as an individual if you’re stagnant. If you’re always put in the same scenarios, your mind and body get bored because it’s not being challenged. The things in your life eventually become routine and you learn to become complacent. But when you try new things, then you mature every step of the way. You can grow in courage, in responsibility and even in wisdom.

According to Psychology Today, “We don’t ever grow from taking action we’ve always taken. Growth seems to require we take new action first, whether it’s adopting a new attitude or a new way of thinking … A spirit of constant self-challenge keeps you humble and open to new ideas that very well may be better than the ones you currently hold dear.”

READ MORE: When Fear Halts Us and When Fear Helps Us

Let college give you the experience of a lifetime, one that helps you grow, keeps you courageous and brings excitement. All you need to do is experiment and try some new things. As Thomas Jefferson has said, “If you want something you’ve never had, you must be willing to do something you’ve never done.”

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