All my life, I have hated trying new things. Whether that be new activities, meeting new people, or even not ordering off of the kids' menu, I tend to stick with things that I have always liked. Basically, I hate going outside of what I believe to be my “comfort zone.”

Examples of this are shown in my daily life a number of times. For example, I have gotten my haircut with the same person for about ten years now just because she did not mess it up the first few times I had her cut my hair, unlike past experiences. Another significant example relates with food, more specifically, chicken fingers. My parents could take me to the fanciest restaurant around and I would probably still opt for the chicken fingers on the kids' menu if they have it. This could also apply to my extended family, that live in India. I did not grow up around them, do not share any interests, and do not even speak the same language as them. So, trips to India have not been very exciting for me as a young child and I much rather preferred being around my immediate family and friends that I have been around for years and years.

But, as I grew older, I began to realize that change and getting used to new things is inevitable. Coming from a small private school to a large public university was definitely something outside of my comfort zone, but I got used to it, and it became second nature to me. I realized that this applies to all these examples, and even if it is uncomfortable temporarily, it could turn into something that I did not even realize I could enjoy. Although it took eighteen years, I am excited to finally step out into the unknown and see what awaits me.