The Power of Trying New Things

By Thomas Barnhill, Delegates Coordinator

One of the biggest changes that I have noticed since coming to Queen’s is this newfound freedom to choose the life I want to live. It’s something that everyone told me to get ready for before I left home, but it didn’t really make sense until I started choosing friends, hobbies, and interests in a new environment. For the first time, every new experience I make is now up to me to create. 

With this newfound freedom comes immense hesitation. When you suddenly get placed in charge of your own decisions, it’s easy to cling to what feels safe and familiar. However, almost a year and a half into my university experience, I can confidently say that some of the most meaningful experiences have only happened from pushing past that fear and embracing the power of my own choices. 

A few months ago, I booked a trip to New York City over reading week. I traveled there alone, barely knowing the city or where I would end up, but I went anyway. Walking the street at night and taking in the energy, I began to realize how much bigger the world becomes when you push yourself into new experiences. Then there was Banff, where I took a friend and flew to hike landscapes that I had only ever seen in photos. While climbing a mountain, I began to second-guess myself. The path was steep and slippery, and my confidence that I would make it to the top disappeared with every step. But, thanks to some fellow hikers telling me I was only minutes from the peak, I pushed through the unease. When I got to the top, I kept thinking about how I chose this; I made this moment happen. 

That’s the beauty of this stage in our lives. In university, everyone is building independence not by doing the things they are comfortable with, but by trusting ourselves enough to push through the things that scare them. 

Trying new things, whether it’s saying yes to new friends, joining a club, or traveling to a new place, can be overwhelming. But stepping into adulthood means acknowledging that we have the freedom to shape our own experiences in life. We can decide when to take a leap, and the leaps are when the best memories are made. 

So if you are stuck between comfort and opportunity, take a breath. Believe in your ability to figure things out, and choose what is unknown. Begin to explore the world that is finally yours. You never know which “yes” will turn into a story you look back on and think, “I’m really glad I didn’t hold myself back.”