Sometimes, it is hard to
put yourself in a position where you may fail. A position where you think that you may
come out the other side less popular, on the losing team, a little lost in the
commotion of life. When in college, it is easy to stick with what you know. The
job you work to just get a paycheck, the classes that you know you will get an
easy A in, the same plans each Friday night. It’s pretty normal to get content
and not take risks.
However, that’s not what
I want for the students that come through the Student Outreach Services office
here at WWU. I want students here at Western to leave with not only a degree,
but a lifetime of knowledge that can only come from making real, raw connections
with others and by taking opportunities that may frighten them at first. I
believe that learning doesn't just happen in a lecture hall on campus. I
believe that learning happens with every activity you partake in, every event
you attend, and every new person that you meet. I also believe that a
university like Western is the perfect platform for this growth.
The trouble with this
idea of growth? Often, allowing oneself to be open to these new experiences is
a frightening decision. Why? Because you may fail. That is the honest truth.
However, another truth is that you may not fail. You may come out the other
side of something with amazing memories, new friends and incredible growth that
you never would have found otherwise. If we were to place those two options on
a scale, I believe that taking those chances would outweigh the risk of failing,
every single time.
So here is my challenge
to you: College is the one place in life where, as cheesy as this is, the world
really is your oyster. So, go out and make those connections. Meet new people
who may have to ability change your vision. Seek out new experiences that leave
you pondering deep questions. Have a few adventures that will create a lifetime
of memories. The willingness to open yourself up for those adventures and opportunities
is as simple as getting in the metaphorical car and joining along for the
ride. Once you make that first step, the excitement, learning and growth fall
right into place.
My goal for you is to
make the most of your time here at Western. Go and take those opportunities for
failure. Find those moments to connect with people and make the most of them.
Go out, open yourself up to the unknown, and take some risks that may end up in
failure. The beauty is not in the risks that don’t end up in failure, the
beauty is in taking the risk in the first place and the joy that comes along
with it.
-Kayla Swallow
WWU Student and TEDxWWU Curator
“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.” - Mark Twain
One TED Talk that has meant a lot to me is Brene Brown's The Power of Vulnerability. This talk emphasizes the connections we make with others, and the level of vulnerability we must put ourselves in in order to make those connections. -Kayla Swallow
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