{"id":4050,"date":"2018-01-23T10:00:30","date_gmt":"2018-01-23T10:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.winona.edu\/admissions\/?p=4050"},"modified":"2021-10-15T20:56:33","modified_gmt":"2021-10-15T20:56:33","slug":"comfortable-being-uncomfortable-how-wsu-pushed-me-outside-of-my-comfort-zones","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.winona.edu\/admissions\/blog\/comfortable-being-uncomfortable-how-wsu-pushed-me-outside-of-my-comfort-zones\/","title":{"rendered":"Comfortable Being Uncomfortable: How WSU Pushed Me Out of My Comfort Zones"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Born and raised in Crystal Lake, Illinois, moving to Minnesota for college was a bit of an adjustment. I was uprooting my life and moving four hours northwest from where I had grown up for many years. To say that I was nervous to begin college would be an understatement.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Excited Anticipation<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Leading up to the school year, I wondered where I would fit in \u2013 how am I going to make my mark on this new community that I will soon call home? I was determined to make new friends and excited to establish a life for myself. My first semester was supposed to be a blast.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 100%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-4050 gallery-columns-1 gallery-size-full'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1356\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.winona.edu\/admissions\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2018\/01\/30431813155_6c9500217b_k.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Students perusing around a club fair in the courtyard on campus.\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-4057\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.winona.edu\/admissions\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2018\/01\/30431813155_6c9500217b_k.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/blogs.winona.edu\/admissions\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2018\/01\/30431813155_6c9500217b_k-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.winona.edu\/admissions\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2018\/01\/30431813155_6c9500217b_k-768x509.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.winona.edu\/admissions\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2018\/01\/30431813155_6c9500217b_k-1024x678.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.winona.edu\/admissions\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2018\/01\/30431813155_6c9500217b_k-1080x715.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-4057'>\n\t\t\t\tWSU students perusing around a club fair on campus. Photo Credit: Ka Vang &#8217;16\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p><strong>The Uncomfortable<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I arrived at WSU and, like many freshmen, was overwhelmed. I felt lost in a sea of people and sights that were foreign to me.<\/p>\n<p>Through the hustle and bustle of the first semester I struggled to make friends. I knew no one except for my roommate and I yearned to find my niche. It seemed like everyone already knew each other and had blossoming friendships \u2013 I began to ponder what I was doing wrong.<\/p>\n<p>Spending most of my time alone was getting old, so I decided to take action and see what our campus community had to offer. It was not until I ventured out of my comfort zone that I finally got involved with the community I am part of to this day.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Finding Comfort in the Uncomfortable<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I started small with establishing friendships on the floor of my residence hall. One morning I propped my bedroom door open to show my neighbors they could come say hi. That same day, I decided to study in the floor lounge to maybe meet other girls on my floor studying.<\/p>\n<p>One hello led to another, and I found myself attending floor dinners that my RA created on Monday nights with the girls I had meet.\u00a0As corny as it sounds, the ladies on my floor wound up being some of the best friends I have ever had!<\/p>\n\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 100%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-2' class='gallery galleryid-4050 gallery-columns-1 gallery-size-full'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"680\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.winona.edu\/admissions\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2018\/01\/12419105_10201333663259302_6896828297906842424_o.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"WSU students hanging out in the courtyard on campus.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.winona.edu\/admissions\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2018\/01\/12419105_10201333663259302_6896828297906842424_o.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.winona.edu\/admissions\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2018\/01\/12419105_10201333663259302_6896828297906842424_o-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.winona.edu\/admissions\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2018\/01\/12419105_10201333663259302_6896828297906842424_o-768x510.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>I decided to continue my adventurous streak and went to one of the club fairs on campus. As I browsed the tables, I looked to sign up for a few clubs to test the waters.<\/p>\n<p>There was a club for every weird recreational or academic hobby you could ever have, including one of mine. My hidden love has always been hula-hooping, and our campus even had a club for that!<\/p>\n<p>Nothing made me feel more at home than that fun, recreational club WSU offered. I wound up being welcomed into a group of guys and girls that shared the same love of playing with a plastic circle and jamming out to music. This sense of community was exactly what I needed.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-3 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-3 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 100%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-3 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-3 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-3' class='gallery galleryid-4050 gallery-columns-1 gallery-size-full'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.winona.edu\/admissions\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2018\/01\/12670190_10153521923359773_3812923182200666006_n.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"WSU student hula hooping for a club on campus.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.winona.edu\/admissions\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2018\/01\/12670190_10153521923359773_3812923182200666006_n.jpg 960w, https:\/\/blogs.winona.edu\/admissions\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2018\/01\/12670190_10153521923359773_3812923182200666006_n-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.winona.edu\/admissions\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2018\/01\/12670190_10153521923359773_3812923182200666006_n-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-4 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-4 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 100%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-4 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-4 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-4' class='gallery galleryid-4050 gallery-columns-1 gallery-size-full'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.winona.edu\/admissions\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2018\/01\/12650976_10153521922844773_1007109355231975530_n.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"WSU students hula hooping on campus.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.winona.edu\/admissions\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2018\/01\/12650976_10153521922844773_1007109355231975530_n.jpg 960w, https:\/\/blogs.winona.edu\/admissions\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2018\/01\/12650976_10153521922844773_1007109355231975530_n-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.winona.edu\/admissions\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2018\/01\/12650976_10153521922844773_1007109355231975530_n-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>Now I find myself enjoying my final semester at my second home, WSU. As I reflect on my last four years here, I feel incredibly grateful for the community that I am a part of now and always will be.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-5 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-5 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 100%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-5 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-5 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-5' class='gallery galleryid-4050 gallery-columns-1 gallery-size-full'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"718\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.winona.edu\/admissions\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2018\/01\/14183921_10210408564349899_498515457149790780_n.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"WSU students hanging out at a WSU football game.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.winona.edu\/admissions\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2018\/01\/14183921_10210408564349899_498515457149790780_n.jpg 960w, https:\/\/blogs.winona.edu\/admissions\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2018\/01\/14183921_10210408564349899_498515457149790780_n-300x224.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.winona.edu\/admissions\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2018\/01\/14183921_10210408564349899_498515457149790780_n-768x574.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.winona.edu\/admissions\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2018\/01\/14183921_10210408564349899_498515457149790780_n-510x382.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>The Warrior community has inspired me to always get outside of my shell and be the best person that I can be. WSU has pushed me to be comfortable being uncomfortable, which was the best thing that could have ever happened to me.<\/p>\n<p>This community has inspired me to get out into the world and make a difference \u2013 I know my fellow Warriors share the same feelings.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Born and raised in Crystal Lake, Illinois, moving to Minnesota for college was a bit of an adjustment. I was uprooting my life and moving four hours northwest from where I had grown up for many years. To say that I was nervous to begin college would be an understatement. Excited Anticipation Leading up to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":136,"featured_media":4057,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1,1841,1840],"tags":[1814,1784],"class_list":["post-4050","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-admissions-blog","category-campus-life","category-clubs","tag-commit-transition","tag-res-life"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blogs.winona.edu\/admissions\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2018\/01\/30431813155_6c9500217b_k.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7OGeT-13k","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.winona.edu\/admissions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4050","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.winona.edu\/admissions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.winona.edu\/admissions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.winona.edu\/admissions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/136"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.winona.edu\/admissions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4050"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.winona.edu\/admissions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4050\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5141,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.winona.edu\/admissions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4050\/revisions\/5141"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.winona.edu\/admissions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4057"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.winona.edu\/admissions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4050"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.winona.edu\/admissions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4050"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.winona.edu\/admissions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4050"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}