In this blog post, I’ll reflect on how I used to fear new challenges and explore the process through which I changed as a result of small experiences.
When I entered college, I met many people who shared the same dream as me. There was so much to learn from my classmates, who had diverse personalities and hobbies. As we went through college life together, I often thought, “I should learn from that,” but the words that left the deepest impression on me were, “Since you’re in college, you should try everything and gain experience. I’m going to spend the next two years constantly taking on new challenges.”
I don’t have any particularly embarrassing experiences that I’d be reluctant to share with others. However, I found it frustrating that I was always content to stay in my comfort zone and shied away from new experiences. Whether trying new foods, taking up a new sport, or traveling to a new place, I would always reject the idea before even trying, thinking, “This probably won’t suit me.” When I heard my classmate’s remark, I suddenly found myself reflecting on my life before college. Come to think of it, my life up until then had been quite monotonous and repetitive. I always enjoyed the same hobbies and the same foods, and I socialized with people within a circle that didn’t differ much from what I was used to.
When I came to South Korea for college, I began adapting to new things in my own way. I met completely new people and made friends, and I had to get used to a new culture. Having forced myself to take on this challenge before the semester even began, I felt a sense of pride in how well I’d adapted, and I even got a taste of the joy of taking on a challenge. However, once college life really got underway, I fell back into my old habits and became fixated on doing only the things I’d always done. Even when choosing a club, I picked one whose activities were similar to the hobbies I’d had in high school. Of course, since I’d gained some experience, whenever upperclassmen complimented me on doing well for a freshman, I secretly thought my choice had been the right one. For a while after joining the club, I had forgotten what my classmate had said.
There was a specific incident that made me reflect on this, even though I’m someone who likes to “stick to one thing.” Last semester, our club went on a spring outing to an amusement park. It had been a while since I’d been there, and since it was the first time for many of my friends, it was even more fun. When visiting an amusement park as a group, it’s only natural to ride thrilling rides like roller coasters or gyro drops, but I’ve always avoided them due to a fear of heights I’ve had since I was a child. Of course, my fear of heights has eased significantly as I’ve grown older, but I’ve rarely visited amusement parks since then, so that day was essentially my first time trying a roller coaster.
Without giving it much thought—just thinking, “Let’s give it a try. I should be able to handle this much”—I joined my friends in line. But the moment I sat down in my seat and the safety harness was fastened, a tingling sense of nervousness in the pit of my stomach spread throughout my body. I tried to identify the initial acceleration section and even tried to mentally prepare myself by recalling the sensation of my heart lurching during the drops. Amid the frantic tension, the train set off and, contrary to my expectations, accelerated rapidly from the very start. The surprise actually helped ease my nerves, so I screamed my heart out as I tried to adjust to the speed. After all that commotion, just as I was gradually getting used to the speed and starting to enjoy the thrill, the train quickly pulled into the platform and came to a stop.
As the safety bar rose, I let out a sigh of relief, relaxed my tense shoulders, and wiped my sweaty hands with a handkerchief. As I walked out with my friends, my heart still racing, I replayed the scenes and sensations that had just swept past like a storm. Although I hadn’t been able to fully enjoy it because of my nerves, the thrill, exhilaration, and sense of relief I felt at that moment were truly the best. I finally understood why people wait in line for hours to ride roller coasters, and I regretted having missed out on something this fun all this time. I also felt incredibly proud that I had overcome my fear and successfully tried something new. Before I knew it, I found myself thinking that I wanted to experience that thrill again.
From that moment on, I made a conscious effort to take on new challenges. Even when doing the same tasks within my club, I tried to come up with fresh approaches, and I also felt the urge to take up new hobbies. Now that summer break is approaching, I’ve even started wanting to travel to new places—something I never really thought about before. While I still hesitate a bit when faced with something new, I’ve changed a lot from the person I used to be, who shied away from challenges. There are probably many people who have the opposite concern. After all, focusing on a single thing to become the best in that field is the basic principle of what we commonly call “selection and concentration.” However, I’ve been given the unique opportunity to spend two years in the pre-med program. Since I’ll soon have to focus on a single field for decades, I believe that, for now at least, broadening my horizons by gaining a little experience in various fields will be more beneficial to me.
Although I still hesitate when faced with challenges, I know my weaknesses well and have the confidence to correct them, so I believe I will continue to improve. Of course, I don’t want to blindly take on every challenge just to be good at everything. But I hope that someday, when the work I’ve been doing for a long time becomes tedious and difficult, I’ll have the courage to willingly embrace something new.
