Coming into my freshman year of college, I had one philosophy: Just wing it. My main goal was to do whatever I wanted, even if I had no clue what was going on. As a chronically oblivious individual, this opened up a world of possibilities to me. That philosophy got me to publish articles, join clubs, and actually talk to people. Now, as I conclude my first year of college, I find myself much more prepared to face a number of situations that I would have never attempted earlier. 

I know this concept sounds cliche. We’ve all heard that we need to step out of our comfort zone more. Most of us decide to ignore it. Those of us who do follow this advice feel proud for expanding our repertoire and braving the great unknown, but are we, really? It isn’t enough to take a singular step beyond what we are familiar with. You aren’t truly putting yourself in a position to learn if you always have the safety of your niche only a step away. Many of us simply retreat to the typical whenever the unknown looks even the slightest bit daunting. 

Learning is a process of trial and error. To grow, we have to put ourselves in situations that are uncomfortable and scary. We learn by facing situations we never expected to confront and figuring out how to navigate them. Running away at the first sign of failure prevents us from growing, both as students and people. 

As WashU students, we are especially susceptible to retreat and avoidance. We tend to stay in the areas where we know we can succeed because failure has never been an option. Applying for a school as competitive as this one means you have to be perfect. You couldn’t show signs of failure because other students are submitting entirely flawless applications. We spent our high school years perfecting our resumes and reputations, and now, we don’t know how to fail. 

We seem to have all internalized the idea that failing one task means failing as a person. I’ve been guilty of this myself. I’ve stuck with the subjects I know I can succeed in. I find myself subconsciously obsessed with whether or not something will make me look dumb. I did this all throughout high school, but we’re not in high school anymore. All of us worked so hard to get here, but most of us aren’t doing anything with the opportunity we’ve earned. You fought to get here; now, reap the benefits of your efforts. 

Personally, I am going to take as many classes as interest me, even if it means giving up my perfect GPA. I am taking Calculus not because I need it, but because I’m interested. I am not a natural at math nor do I have any talent for the more analytical fields — but who cares? I no longer have to worry about having the perfect record or GPA. I can afford failure, and so can you. 

Maybe you have to uphold academically impeccable standards because you’re going to graduate school, but this philosophy doesn’t just apply to grades. Try new clubs or hobbies. Join a sport or audition for a role with no experience. You may not be able to risk failing a class, but you can still put yourself out there. College is a hub for learning both academically and socially. You still have opportunities to grow and try new things, even if this isn’t your last experience in the academic world. 

Failure is good for us. It teaches us how to recover and improve. It is not some plague to be avoided. I think the fear of failure is the main reason many of us avoid trying new things. We have to fail one of these days, and avoiding this inevitability just makes people miss out on the incredible opportunities here. Maybe your skill is STEM, but you really want to try out a drama class. Whether you fail or succeed, you still take advantage of the wonderful theatre program we have here. We only have four years at this school. Wasting time being afraid just limits the richness of the experience. 

The task of facing the unknown was easy enough for me. As a freshman, everything was unknown. If I ever wanted to leave my dorm, I had to leave my comfort zone. I’ve become accustomed to trying new things, and I don’t want to stop. How much could I grow in my four years if I kept learning things I know nothing about? 

I’m paying to be here, and this is my last chance to learn in an academic setting. I only get four years of this — and the same can be said for most of you. Are you really going to waste your four years being comfortable? You have the rest of your life for monotony. Each day spent pursuing the things you already know about is a day wasted. 

Many of us say we love learning, but we act as if we love succeeding. Succeeding is not learning. Knowing is not growing. Going into next year, I’m going to keep putting myself in situations where I have no clue what’s happening. It’s your choice what you make of your time here, but if you know what you’re doing, you’re doing it wrong.