Talking--Colleen

 

Such a simple word with such a complicated meaning to this generation, talking is directly defined as engaging speech, however, the definition in this generation is completely subjective. It might sound weird that a word with such an obvious definition has an alternative definition to an entire generation, but this generation is definitely known for being different from the generations before. Talking is such a complicated term defining the start of a possible relationship. Talking could go on for weeks, months or even years and what are the rules? Is there commitment? Should there be flowers and dates? Where are the boundaries? These questions are answered differently depending on each person and their goal of the relationship. Typically there is a lack of communication between the individuals which leads to a whole mess of hurt feelings and rumors. A lack of communication at this stage is fatal to the overall relationship, possibly leading to a situation in which one individual is left so damaged it affects all relationships they have moving forward. Talking stages very rarely end positively (leading to a lot of awkwardness in the halls), people of this generation are forgetting that their actions have consequences when another person's emotions are on the line. Talking typically includes a lack of commitment, a stage where people can still explore their options. The introduction of this new stage before dating has opened a whole new set of problems hurting this generation. Relationships nowadays are so much harder and nothing like how they used to be, there are less gentlemen and more nonchalant men. Women are being mistreated and placing the bare minimum on a pedestal, grateful they aren’t being used for their body for once. Manipulation is becoming so common any other treatment is practically unheard of. These new trends may be a lack of maturity in highschool, a side effect of covid, or easy access to people with social media making commitment seem impossible and options seem endless.

Everyone of this generation has experience with talking whether is through a friend or personal experience(it's typically not a good experience). Not meaning to bore anyone with my horror stories of the talking, but just to vaguely some up a few. My first talking stage was about 2 years and was probably the most confusing point of my high school career. We both felt different feelings, only one wanting commitment and a complete lack of communication created a mess of a relationship(we aren’t even friends). Another example, being a coworker of mine, I wanted to pursue a relationship, he was “ruined” by his last relationship and was avoiding commitment. Without either of us stating a clear motive for the relationship each time we saw each other we had different expectations, leading to me being hurt and feeling unvalued(he remained unfazed). Maybe I have bad taste or maybe this generation is toxic, but talking is a traumatic event for most, but in some cases it can end in a great relationship. Though I complain about the trauma of talking, I think it's important to value every experience and the lessons they teach you. Without those talking stages I wouldn’t be who I am today, I am so grateful for those I got to meet, spend time with, and appreciate, but I really wish we made it out the talking stage.

Taking a Chance--Justin

 

“Nothing in life is promised except death” - Kanye West

Death–The impromptu end of a story. Most people view death as something they try their absolute hardest to avoid or even think about, but to me, it serves as a stark reminder that our time here is limited and that we must make use of it. In a grim way, it is almost a poetic motivator; The final end is what gets me to start the things that I would have pushed aside for the next day, because the next day is never guaranteed.

As senior year is nearing its end, I am swept back by an inevitable wave of nostalgia and reflection. I mean, who wouldn’t be? The culmination of years of hard work, experience, and friendships is coming to its bittersweet end. Amidst the celebrations, I often find myself at the mercy of a subtle yet powerful feeling: regret. Regret often stems from chances not taken, whether that be a class I probably should’ve chosen, a club I should’ve joined, or a conversation I should’ve started. These seemingly unimportant decisions can accumulate into a huge tapestry of what-ifs that haunt not just me, but many other students as we prepare to step into the next chapter of their lives. Despite how painful regret is, it is important to recognize that it can also be a powerful motivator; a catalyst for change that urges people to take risks and seize opportunities.

Mark Twain once said, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." Funnily enough, I found this quote within Minecraft’s end-credit poem, but that’s beside the point. I try to live life by this quote; I don’t want to end up regretting the choices I didn’t make, but at the same time it is so hard to make the choice. Merriam-Webster defines taking a chance as “to do something that could have either good or bad results”. For all the chances that are taken throughout life, there are bound to be a handful of failures. Growing up as a first-generation Asian-American with immigrant parents, I got it beaten into my brain that failure was unacceptable, and anything less than perfect was considered failure. This kind of learned action is what cemented the fear of failure into my childhood self, and it has persisted until, well, it keeps persisting. My fear of failure will never go away and as a result, it keeps me from taking every chance I see. The only thing that gets me to do things is my fear of regret, which I view as so much more impactful than any fear of failure. I would much rather live with the shame of failing for a month or so as it will eventually disappear, but regret– it’s hard to lose.

I think this is why I’m so keen on these kinds of risks. Sure you might fail, but just think of what could happen if you beat the odds and win. All the happiness that could come your way and all the new memories you will look back on all because you decided to step out of your comfort zone and take that chance. I guess what I’m really trying to get across is to always take a chance; try that restaurant that you think might be good, audition for the role you want so badly, ask out that one special person. You won’t be able to go anywhere in life without taking a

chance, so when you find yourself debating whether or not you should take it–think, why the hell not?

Work Cited:

https://genius.com/Kanye-west-47th-annual-grammy-speech-annotated https://www.minecraftforum.net/forums/minecraft-java-edition/discussion/170810-mark-twains-q uote-in-minecraft-credits-is-made-by https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20a%20chance

Forgiveness--Sandra

 

“I’m sorry,” were the words my classmate and I had to say to each other in the fourth grade, as my teacher forced us to make up with each other after arguing. Followed by “It’s okay,” because we are taught to always “forgive and forget.” The word “sorry” is thought to be strong enough to right any wrongs. However, in my household, I was told “sorry means nothing.” As a child, hearing this felt absolute. I grew up giving very few second chances. Whether it be another person being rude to me, or others accidentally hurting my feelings, I refused to “forgive and forget.”

For as long as I can remember, I correlated forgiveness as a sign of weakness. Forgiving someone meant allowing them to hurt me again. At least, that was my thought process. This mindset cost me many relationships throughout the years. Because of this, I always thought it was natural for friendships to always come and go. I always believed that no relationship would last. This was until I began making friendships that I did not want to end. And I realized that if I wanted to keep them, I needed to forgive them if things went wrong. I realized that I wanted a friendship that can last when I make mistakes, and friendships that are forgiving and understand that I’m still growing. I decided that I do not want the idea of “forgiveness is a sign of weakness” to follow me throughout the rest of my life.

According to the Cambridge Dictionary website, the word “forgive” is defined as “to stop blaming or being mad at someone for something that person has done, or not punish them for something.” Forgiveness is not a weakness because it’s a strength that can be difficult to achieve at first. Despite the arguments I had with my closest friends, we always forgave. But we never forget since we used each other as a way to learn and grow. Because of this, I have grown to treasure the relationships I have today.

If I continued with the mindset I grew up with, I would have never forgiven anyone, which would have resulted in long-time grudges for the rest of my life. A grudge is a big, heavy rock on our shoulders and a bitter taste left over in our mouths. Grudges are the result of the lack of forgiveness we have. There can be many ways to cause you to hold a grudge. One of them is being betrayed by someone you treasure. And these feelings can easily consume you. According to the Mayo Clinic, “If you allow negative feelings to crowd out positive feelings, you might find yourself swallowed up by bitterness or a sense of injustice.” The feeling of injustice tends to take over and soon you forget why you were so hurt in the first place. A grudge is a powerful emotion that can easily swallow you. However, forgiveness can prevent these complex emotions from getting this extreme.

Forgiveness can be difficult, especially if the other person doesn’t realize how much they caused you pain. Forgiving can take time, but once you get there, you can finally feel at peace without

any unnecessary negative emotions to hinder you. Forgiveness takes time, and I am still learning it. I was taught that the word “sorry" meant nothing and that it had no meaning behind it. But it’s the first step to forgiveness, and if I want to keep the people around me, I need to say “It’s okay. Really, I forgive you.”

Perspective--Elias

 

Once upon a time. We’ve heard these four words hundreds of times, from the nursery

stories and fairytales that we hold so dear to our hearts. The Three Little Pigs, Snow White, and

even Batman, from our perspective we have seen as the good guys always prevail and defeat the

evil villains whilst overcoming their own obstacles. But the idea of good and evil is not rooted in

solid fact. What we believe is good and what we believe is evil is rooted based on our own moral

compass, our own perspective on things. In our world there are precisely 7.888 billion people

with 7.888 billion unique perspectives. Perspective is a little more complicated than just the

dictionary definition of “the interrelation in which a subject or its parts are mentally viewed,”

there are many factors, changes, and details we must take into account to come up with our own

view on things. Even the slightest changes such as the restructuring of a sentence or the

exchange of some words may cause one's perspective to change entirely.

Some people see the Big Bad Wolf as the big bad bully who blew the poor little pigs

houses to bits and pieces but, in reality he was just a safety inspector doing his job. Without the

Big Bad Wolf’s huffing and puffing, the ignorant pigs with their unbound engineering prowess

who decided to build their foundation with straw and sticks may have suffered an even worse

fate than simply having their houses destroyed. An earthquake, a fire, a flood, a swift gust of

fontana wind, any natural disasters could’ve taken down their two houses with them in it causing

multiple casualties. The Big Bad Wolf simply pointed out the flaws in the pig’s designs thus

saving them from severe future expenses, potential injuries, and other problems. But in the

beloved fairy tale, we’ve come to perceive the Wolf as the bad guy who preyed on the three

helpless little pigs. All because some words were switched and some minute details were left out,

one may now interpret a varying perspective on the same situation.

Take Batman for example, the masked vigilante that is seen as the world’s greatest

superhero, an inspiration to the hopeless and an enforcer on the wicked. However, in reality, if I

were to say that I’m gonna go to Party City and buy a costume so I can stay up all night beating

up bad guys, the police would show up at my door and escort me to the nearest insane asylum.

But Batman is praised as a man of the people, when he should in fact be in therapy, a lot of

therapy. He’s simply avoiding the traumas of his past by using his billions of dollars not for

philanthropy, but rather by investing it into illegal military grade weapons and unnecessary

upgrades on his car. What's even worse is he has put multiple children in danger, perpetuating his

violent cycle, by encouraging mere prepubescent teens to come and fight supervillains with him.

Not only avoiding his own past trauma, but also putting everyone around him in danger, all while

he wastes away money that could go to better use rather than endorsing his vigilantism. But

because he locks up villains that eventually break out in two to three business days, he is praised

as the defender of the night and savior of the city. Perspective is a powerful tool, one that can

either make or break someone's argument entirely. Perspective is an accumulation of one’s

feelings, thoughts, and interactions, and can be molded to accommodate any person’s argument.

My little cousin views Snow White as some fair and innocent princess who gathers the

help of seven dwarfs to escape her evil stepmother, while I see her as a tyrannical royal who used

her vanity to enslave seven physically handicapped individuals for her own selfish endeavors.

That is because we are two different people, each with our unique past and circumstances.

Different experiences, new information, and changes in our lives are all things that contribute to

this. A couple changes here and there and all of a sudden, the thoughts and feelings we have

towards a subject have now changed entirely. We as a society have established standards,

creating these ideas such as good and evil to guide others into thinking the same as we do. But in

reality, perspective is ever changing. Heroes and villains, good and evil, right and wrong, all of

these are simply figment concepts that are not set in stone. Perspective is at its core, a tool, one

that can be shifted to support any argument. It is up to you to choose how you will use it.

Sources

Wikipedia Contributors. “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937 Film).” Wikipedia,

Wikimedia Foundation, 18 Jan. 2019,

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_White_and_the_Seven_Dwarfs_(1937_film).

Wikipedia Contributors. “Batman.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 10 Mar. 2019,

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batman.

Steel, Flora Annie. “The Three Little Pigs.” Americanliterature.com, 2019,

americanliterature.com/childrens-stories/the-three-little-pigs.

Merriam-Webster. “Definition of PERSPECTIVE.” Merriam-Webster.com, 2019,

www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perspective.

Desire--Alec

Desire, a taboo word for most people. Desire is defined in Merriam-Webster as “to long or hope for; to express a wish for”. Desire, at its core, can be considered the driving force of human nature. It is the silent whisper of the soul, the urging that moves humanity forward towards new heights, previously unimaginable by generations of the past. Whether desire is used to pursue good, or bad, it is an intrinsic feature of every human being. 

Desire is a phenomenon that naturally pushes us towards a goal, whether it be material or a feeling, akin to a sense of accomplishment. From the human pursuit of material wealth, a desire for love and a sense of belonging, or even a desire to submit an essay on time for a good grade, desire is all around us and influences the path we take moving forwards in life. Desire can also be described as a double-edged sword, that has the ability to both help or harm the wielder of it, however it is to be swung. Desire can be used as fuel to push the boundaries of humanity further than intellectuals just only decades ago could ever dream of, enabling humanity to reach new heights and single-handedly shaping a better world for future generations. Desire can also be used to enable bad habits with instant gratification, like me wanting to check my phone to see a text message, or go scrolling through social media even as 11:59 approaches, keeping me in a cycle of what I call, a split desire. Two equally split conflicting desires, one to do my work and have the freedom to go to bed knowing I’m done for the day, or the other desire to have my instant gratification scrolling through social media, prolonging the inevitability of me needing to do my essay, but much less effort is needed. Desire can be wielded, both as a tool to push humanity past its human-bound limits to inspire and create a better world for humanity. Desire can also lead to ultimately falling flat in a cycle of reflection upon the past and the regrets it holds, desiring a previous experience or time. Regardless of how it is used, desire is an integral part of human society, for without desire, the world would be in a constant cycle of mediocrity, with no room for innovation, no desire to do your homework, no desire to push yourself to be better, no desire to do anything at all. 

In the history and entangled web of human existence, desire weaves its intricate threads all around us, shaping everyone’s experiences, desires, and ultimately, destinies. It is a relentless and unstoppable force that continues to drive humanity forward, even as we enter troubling times. It is the same force that has led us into this tumultuous period, and it is the ultimately same force that will push us out into the real world as we graduate and hope to succeed beyond high school, push us towards the 22nd century with new technologies and increasingly loftier desires, and even further beyond that past our lifespans and our children and grandchildren having their own individual desires, dreams and aspirations. Whatever obstacles await, some even as a result of misguided desire, it is ultimately our ability to harness this hidden desire that surrounds us all, that allows us to transcend humanity’s limits, and continue to push for the stars. Desire, whether or not it has its negative connotation in history, is needed. I think it’s the only reason I chose to wrote this, instead of sleeping. 

“Desire Definition & Meaning.” Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/desire. Accessed 15 Mar. 2024.

 

Mother--Kara

 

     Every night while doing calculus, my mom calls for me outside my room. I reluctantly open the door preparing myself for either a tight hug or a reminder to clean my room when she sees the mess. “Come give your mother a hug!” she beamed and I am hit with “I love my baby!” a million times. I got lucky this time. However, everytime she does this I am filled with the feeling of dread knowing the fact she would hate me if I ever came out. I have seen her face of hatred and heard her unaccepting words and wondered what kind of a mother could feel that way to a child they have cared for so much. Is there more than just unconditional love that makes a mother? 

     At its core, the word “mother” is a female parent or someone who has given birth to or raised a child. Biologically, mothers play a crucial role in the creation of life, gifting us with a breathing body and a beating heart, and can take that gift away when you give her some attitude. Similarly, a mother is someone who provides comfort and security, rather than fulfilling basic needs like food. Although providing comfort may not seem like a biological definition for a mother, the Harlow studies prove otherwise. In this experiment, infant monkeys were separated from their mothers after birth and put in cages with two substitute mothers, one made of wire and provided milk and one covered in soft terry cloth with no milk. Every monkey preferred the terry cloth mother because of the comfort they provided, regardless of the presence of milk. Even monkeys know the difference between the traits of a real mother and someone that just provides sustenance. 

    However, this word transcends beyond biological ties. A mother does more than nurturing and caring for her children. A mother is someone who has made unimaginable sacrifices just so her child has a chance at a greater life than she had. A mother wakes up at the crack of dawn to make you breakfast so you have the luxury of sleeping in. When you call a mother to help you find something you had spent hours looking for, she will find that object in seconds and teach you to “look with your eyes, not your mouth.” A mother asks you where you get your pretty face from (she wants you to say you got it from her). When it is your first time driving, a mother will start screaming when you press on the gas. A mother is someone who will go out of their way to teach you her faith and values, hoping we live up to the standards society has set for us. She fears that you will throw it all away and forget your traditional values and pursue a life she does not approve of. A mother is someone who will be slow to understand. 

     Ultimately, a mother is someone who will show you unconditional love in her own way. Although my mother may take a while to love who I am, my mother is someone who is irreplaceable. I need to be patient with her as she had been with me, then maybe she can be someone who does not discard me like a broken doll, but finds something in me to love. 

Mcleod, Saul. “Harry Harlow Monkey Experiments: Cloth Mother vs Wire Mother.” Simply Psychology, 15 June 2023, www.simplypsychology.org/harlow-monkey.html#Conclusions.

Indecisiveness--Kimberly

 

At the age of six I wanted to be a singer.

At the age of ten I wanted to become a doctor.

At the age of thirteen I was convinced I would be a lawyer.

Now, at the age of seventeen when it really matters most, I have absolutely no idea what it is I

want to do.

Growing up, I have always envied people who had a strong passion towards a specific subject,

career path, or goal for their future. I envied the fact that they knew what classes they needed to

take in high school, or what volunteer programs they needed to join in order to work towards

their desires. I felt like I wasn’t doing enough, or like I was not taking my life seriously. While

everyone was already advancing, it felt like I was falling behind.

When entering high school, they tell you that you don’t need to worry about careers because

“you still have time.” Of course, this is true. Many people don’t even figure out what career path

they want to take until they are in college. However, a part of me still always wished I had a

passion for one specific thing. I wanted to excel in one specific area just as all of my friends and

classmates did. I wanted to find the one thing that would help me stand out from the rest.

The medical field had always fascinated me, but never enough to where I wanted to pursue a

career in it. Criminal law piqued my interests, but I didn’t feel like it was the right path for me.

Every subject had captured my attention, but never to the point where I had an intense yearning

to chase after it. I wanted to do everything and nothing all at once. I wanted to be a doctor but I

also wanted to be a lawyer. I wanted to become an engineer but I wanted to join international

business as well. I wanted to become a therapist, a teacher, a nurse, and an interior designer. It

felt unfair that I had to be tied down to just one specific career.

A huge part of this feeling had to do with my environment. As a person who grew up in a family

full of high expectations, I've lived my life being an observer of my siblings' experiences. I’ve

watched my oldest sister be ridiculed for not having good enough grades, and have been a

witness to the lectures my brother received for being “lazy”. I’ve seen how my family has

brushed over all their achievements and success, and have instead nitpicked at the tiniest of flaws

to bring them down. The only thing I had to offer was to become successful at a certain subject

so that I could set a path for my future.

Though I knew this mindset was toxic, I continued to live by it. I chose the subject I was best at,

and decided it would be the one I would pursue. I would spend hours on homework or projects

just for the one class, and though I ended up keeping a 98% for the entire year, I still did not feel

happy in it. Deep down I knew it was not something I could see myself doing for the rest of my

life.

Going into senior year, I decided I needed to break from the toxic mindset that was invading my

life. I took it easier on my classes, and I stressed way less about my future. I accepted the fact

that It’s okay to not know what I want to do yet, and focused more on the present. I realized that

I still had a whole life ahead of me filled with new experiences that would expose me to new

passions and desires. I started living a more “go with the flow” type of life and it has honestly

made life so much more enjoyable. I began to not let others influence what I felt I needed to do,

and instead just worried about myself.

To this day I am still not quite sure what I want my future to look like. All I know is that I want

to cherish every moment because I know if I don’t, I’d have many regrets when I look back on

my youth. I know that everything will play out the ways it’s supposed to, and so for now I just

simply take in everything as it comes.

Yes, it’s important to have a plan, but it’s also important that you enjoy the present and live in the

moment (cliche I know).

Greed--Bianca

 

Greed--Agozie

 

Greed is one of the most powerful forces in the world. It drives us to put our own desires over the needs of others, whether it be for wealth, power, or any kind of self-gain. Greed can be characterized by its insatiable desire to obtain more. It seeks to swallow up every valuable asset until there is nothing left in its path, fully ignoring the consequences. While in some cases it may lead to success, the long-term implications of greed impact not only the individual but society as a whole. 

An immediate effect that stems from greed is the abandonment of morals. When fueled by greed, individuals ignore what is morally right in order to relentlessly pursue their goals. Whether it’s lying, cheating, exploiting, or any other method, greed is similar to a drug that clings onto someone and pushes them toward malice. Over a period of time greed breaks down relationships and strips the trust that others once had for you away. The tricky part about greed is that even after you purge it, if even an ounce remains, there is a chance that it will come back even stronger. 

Another characteristic of Greed is its ability to create a cycle of unstoppable desire. Regardless of how much one obtains, when fueled with greed no amount of possessions or wealth will be able to satisfy oneself. This pursuit only creates a mindset of emptiness, unsatisfied with the way things have turned out. As one becomes more focus on individual wealth and the material aspects of the world, relationships, health, and so many aspects of life suffer. Greed is a silent killer. 

On a larger scale, greed can undermine a society as a whole. As individuals all start to put their needs over the needs of their society, a gap forms between every person. A domino effect is set off, and social unrest grows exponentially. Those feeling exploited will take to the streets to push for equality and society as a whole will struggle to trust again. Neighbor will be pitted against neighbor and the Earth will suffer. Simply because of human nature, a society corrupted by greed can never exist. 

Additionally, greed can lead to environmental degradation and exploitation. As they pursue profit, companies will destroy the environment without care, using processes like pollution, deforestation, or overexploitation of natural resources. The effects that these methods have on the Earth are not short term by any means. As communities and wildlife suffer, their cries will be drowned out by the fattening of ‘the man's’ wallet. 

I myself was not immune to the effects of greed. It snuck its way into my life under the guise of ambition. It started with the first time I was appointed student council leader in 4th grade. The feeling I got from my victory had me hooked. I wanted more ‘power.’ More influence. I craved all the respect my peers had to offer. At every chance I got I would run for leadership positions, handing every opponent a vicious defeat. With each victory, I got more and more ‘ambitious,’ eager to defend the influence I had amassed and add to it tenfold. It wasn’t until junior year that I realized I wasn’t running to improve the school as I was telling myself. The only person I was running for was myself. Going into senior year I vowed to become a representative that the underclassmen leaders could look at for reference. I barely escaped the clutches of greed and to be honest, somestimes I still feel its grip. The only way to defeat it is to focus on what truly matters - love, compassion, and morality. 

Overall, greed is a destructive force that can have far-reaching consequences for both individuals and society as a whole. It can lead to unethical behavior, dissatisfaction, and inequality, as well as environmental degradation and social unrest. By recognizing the negative effects of greed and striving for a more balanced and compassionate approach to life, we can work towards creating a more just and sustainable world for all. If humanity fails to keep its greed under control as we famously have in the past, there is no miracle in the universe that could save us. 

Sources: https://bbc.com/news/science-environment-61221666

 https://public.wsu.edu/~taflinge/socgreed.html#:~:text=A%20person%20dominated%20by%20gr eed,bans%20individual%20greed%20can%20suffer. 

https://geediting.com/9-dire-consequences-of-greed-on-personal-relationships/#:~:text=The%20 desire%20to%20have%20more,irreparable%20damage%20to%20your%20relationships.

Determination--Patrick

 

Uncomfortable--Rezzelle

 

My greatest skill is being uncomfortable. Discomfort automatically enforces a negative

impression since it may be wondered, how is that a skill? Last summer, I heard a faint meowing

sound through my window for a couple of nights. It was not until one night when I was parking

my car in the driveway that I heard the noise becoming more coherent. My curiosity and love for

animals led me to search for the stray kitten housing in the bush of my front yard. I immediately

fell in love with the kitten’s circular, emerald-colored eyes and gray-striped fur. A few weeks

later, nurturing the kitten back to a healthy state quickly made me grow an attachment as caring

for it was basically engraved in my daily routine. I was guaranteed that the kitten was officially

mine to keep until my mom, who strongly dislikes animals, rid me of it and gave it to my

long-distance uncle to keep while I was not home that day. The sudden shift in my routine caused

a feeling of uneasiness; the kitten was no longer a part of my day as I would not feed it as soon

as I woke up. This brought to my attention that changes are bound to be uncomfortable.

The definition of uncomfortable is to be in a state of discomfort, uneasiness, and being conscious

of stress or strain. Despite this word being seen in a negative light, my perception of the word is

what needs to occur in the process of expanding one’s horizons and seeking improvement. It is

not necessarily a bad thing, but you are simply doing something out of your comfort zone, which

evokes feelings of stress and unpleasantness. But what improvement is being made when you

stick with what feels normal to you? Memories that had a lasting impact on me when I was

plagued with the feeling of discomfort were when I tried out for tennis, but never in my life have

I touched a racket. I tried out for dance, but have never been to a studio. Humbling was merely

the word to summarize my humiliation and how belittled I felt. Being surrounded by experienced

athletes who devoted most of their childhood to a hobby I had yet to experience was

uncomfortable. However, I became a JV member for tennis and a Varsity member for dance, but

my accomplishments would have been hindered if I had feared discomfort and unfamiliarity.

Peter McWilliams once said, “Be comfortable being uncomfortable.” This simply means to be

willing to put yourself in positions where you will face hardships and obstacles, but there is

never an outcome where you do not gain positive results from this. If you believe that everything

happens for a reason, then take the situations that caused you the greatest pain to be opportunities

for growth and push your boundaries beyond what you are familiar with. Additionally, you

cannot be afraid of uncomfortable situations when change is inevitable and your comfort zone

can only remain secure for so long. This can be applied in various circumstances whether that is

being uncertain about trying a new haircut or hair color, going to the gym for the first time, or

learning how to detach from a person after a heartbreak. Whatever the circumstance is, as long as

you have the willingness to embrace change and discomfort, you are bound to find growth and

expound your potential.

Works Cited:

https://www.dictionary.com/browse/uncomfortable

https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/peter_mcwilliams_393223#:~:text=Peter%20McWilliams

%20Quotes&text=Please%20enable%20Javascript-,Be%20willing%20to%20be%20uncomforta

ble.,pay%20for%20living%20a%20dream.