Stepping out of the comfort zone...

I have always been a shy, timid girl. Unless I know someone really well and feel super comfortable around them, I hardly ever talk. As a result I have NEVER spoken to to anyone in any of my classes unless I had no other choice. I have NEVER commented in a class unless I had no other choice, and if and when that ever happened it was basically the scariest day of my life! Not only do I suffer from severe shyness and ultimate fear of talking to people, I'm also have people-pleaseritis, which seems slightly ironic and contradictory, but it's true. For some reason I have this deep need to please everyone, especially teachers. As a result I like to know exactly what they want, exactly how they want things done, and exactly what they expect of me at all times. I want them to tell me what to do and I'll do it and then go the extra mile so as to surely please them. I've often been referred to as an over-achiever. Not only that, but I guess you could say I suffer from what we learned to be "the Ophelia Syndrome." Knowing all this you can imagine the fear that welled up inside me the first day of class when we were all sent off in groups to create a children's book without any verbal instruction, without knowing a single soul, without having a complete run down of the syllabus first, without knowing exactly what was expected of us for the next 3 months. To be completely honest, I was wondering what in the world I had gotten myself into. My fear was only broadened and worsened the second day when we were informed of the "name quiz." For my entire college career I had purposely tried to go hidden and unnoticed in class. I had tried to avoid other students that were in my classes at all costs, and now in this class I not only needed to learn everyone's name, but everyone else had to learn mine too. This was going to require talking, one of my biggest fears. Things only got worse when we learned of "student teaching days" when we would have to get up with our group and teach the whole class for the whole hour and a half! Once again...I was going to have to talk. This was going to be a rough semester I just knew it! However, a few days into the semester after pondering Brother Grant's little lecture about vision and what we wanted to get out of this class, I decided that this semester could go one of two ways. Either I could go on doing just how I was, with my barriers up, living in fear and dread of this class and end up being miserable and hating life for the next 3 months, or I could step out of my comfort zone and try to make the most of this class using it as a learning and growing experience in more than just secular knowledge that will further me in my pursuit of my degree. I knew I didn't want to be miserable, so, as hard as I knew it would be for me, I made a decision to do my best to make the most of what was ahead of me and take a leap of faith and try something new. I began by trying to make at least one friend. To my astonishment, one day I was surprisingly courageous and brave and...I TALKED TO SOMEONE! I not only talked to one person, but I talked to multiple people. I even found that I had a lot in common with them and we all became friends in no time. The class immediately became exciting and enjoyable. By taking that leap of faith and stepping out of my comfort zone, I was able to learn many valuable life lessons that I may very well have missed had I stayed in my shell and not let anyone inside. I will be forever grateful for the many, many things I learned and the great friends I gained this semester. It's been an adventurous journey and a life changing experience.

Janelle Jones