Michael Ney

Adventurous: Willing to try new things, take risks, and participate in adventures.

Three of my favorite things, all in one definition.

Trying new things has always been a hobby of mine. From yearly hairstyle changes to joining a Bollywood dance group during my senior year of high school, I have always loved the excitement of novel experiences. One of my favorite new things to try is food. I will try any meal once. Just to prove it, I ate the world's hottest pepper last year after a bet with a teacher. I have a low tolerance for spice as it is, much less when it comes to a Carolina Reaper, but the thrill of the unknown made it worth it in the end.

Taking risks is one of my core values. Free climbing and cliff jumping are my favorite ways to spend the weekend. This summer, on a road trip with two friends, I scaled a forty-foot, vertical wall of crumbling stone on the side of the Grand Canyon. One slip would have at least broken both my legs. Yet, at the same time, it would be even more dangerous to live my life without taking those kinds of risks.

I am no Huckleberry Fin or Bilbo Baggins, but I do love an adventure. Somehow, they always seem to weave themselves into the fabric of everyday life. All you have to do is say yes. This spring, I was invited on stage as an unrehearsed pre-show act for America's Got Talent. All I needed to do was say yes. I'm a terrible singer and very quickly got kicked off the stage with four giant, red Xs above my head, but the adventure was easily worth the embarrassment; it's what I live for.