Thank You, College. Love, A Homebody. by Samantha

Thank You, College. Love, A Homebody. by Samantha - November 2016 Scholarship Essay

It's no coincidence that college deadlines and Thanksgiving collide on our calendars. Thanksgiving is, after all, a time to give thanks for all we have in our lives, and the college experience brings about a bevy of new things to be thankful for. Whether it be new friends, new opportunities, or just a new change of pace, college provides every student with something new to give thanks for at the Thanksgiving dinner table. For me, this will be the opportunity to try new things.
I am a bit of a homebody, and I rarely venture outside of my comfort zone. I'm happiest eating the same few meals (pasta in red sauce, pizza, and chicken fingers), sitting on my couch, and watching the same TV shows my mother and I have been watching for years. I recognize that some of this is a problem. My picky eating makes my anxiety surge up when my friends suggest a new restaurant; my comfort with certain TV shows makes me take an instant disliking to anything new; and my love of sitting on the couch for hours on end makes it hard to experience anything.
But all of this is going to change when I go to college. It will have to.
When I'm in college, I'm going to make friends who will push me to try new things--whether it's hitting that cool karaoke bar on Main Street or taking a pottery class at the Learning Annex. I'm going to try new foods in the dining hall--I've already made a pact with myself: I have to try at least one new thing each meal. I'm going to be away from home for the first time in my life, and I want to take advantage of everything that campus life has to offer. Without college, trying new things would not be a possibility for me--or rather, I would have no incentive to do so.
I like my life the way it is, true, but that's only because living at home allows my life to be the way it is. College is going to force me to come out of my shell. It's going to force me to try new things, to leave my comfort zone, and to live a life completely different from the one I live now. And I'm excited for that (and a little scared, I'm not going to lie). College is going to change my life by letting me try new things, and for that, I will be eternally thankful.