Comfort Zones

In the last year, since going to university, I’ve changed a hell of a lot. Even my friends and family back home have noticed a difference in me, almost a new-found confidence.

I was always the shy, quiet girl growing up. Always. When the other girls in my class were piling on the makeup, and going through loads of boyfriends, I was quite content to sit at home, just reading a book or something. I was perfectly happy in my own company, in a calm environment that I could control. I loved going out with friends, don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t a complete loner. But I really did enjoy just being at home with my family.

It wasn’t until I started uni that I really found myself, however cheesy that sounds. I quickly found myself as part of an amazing group of friends, who really have made my entire uni experience as perfect as it could have been. Even though my friends have played a big part in making me come out of my shell more, I don’t actually think that’s the main reason…

This sounds vain, but honestly, I think a big part in building my confidence has been because of the attention I’ve received from guys since being here. Growing up, I was never the “pretty” one, partly because I never really cared how I looked. So I never received much attention from the boys I knew, which I didn’t care about anyway. It wasn’t until my first year of sixth form, that I really started to make an effort, but even then, if the guys I knew did find me attractive, they never said, because they knew my boyfriend at the time.

But as soon as I went to university, I was immersed into a completely new environment where I didn’t know a single person. And in that first week, I’d received way more attention than I have in my whole life before then. It was an odd experience, and it sounds vain – well, it is vain! – but I really did enjoy it.

It’s a part of being female: we can’t help but love being admired. It’s embedded in our brains to enjoy receiving this attention, and because I’d never received it before, it felt really nice. It made me feel a lot better about myself, which in return, made me a hell of a lot more confident.

Before uni, I hated meeting new people. I was more than happy to stay in my circle of friends. But now, I love going out and meeting everyone! I love getting to know people, and stepping out of my comfort zone to make new friends. I can’t imagine how different my experience would have been had I not stepped out of that zone – I’d have way less friends, for a start!

I guess what I’m trying to say here, is that although comfort zones are, well, comforting, sometimes it’s better to step out of those, do something different, something out of character. Because who knows, it may just make you feel a hell of a lot better about yourself.