by Sydney Wiser ’23

Leaving your comfort zone is scary. Obviously. That’s why comfort zones exist in the first place. The world is intimidating and we want to form a protective bubble around ourselves that we can choose when to expand. Looking back on my life so far, I’ve realized that the most rewarding moments happen when I expand my bubble.

For someone like me who’d be content to stay home, it’d be easy to let my protective bubble become a sort of self-inflicted cage. I won’t get hurt as long as I stay within the walls of what I know — but I’ll also never experience the joys of crossing uncharted territory. During these years between childhood and adulthood, I’ve begun to test my boundaries. I learned how much joy I derive from pursuing the things I love, even when I have to work through fear.

From the moment I joined The Warrior as a sophomore, I knew I’d found a community that I wanted to contribute to and that was terrifying. Writing has always been personal for me so sharing my work felt daunting. Every small step away from my comfort zone felt like a victory. First time interviewing someone. First time receiving rounds of feedback. Then my steps got bigger. First time editing someone else’s article. First time publishing a print article. First time taking on a leadership role. First time writing a front-page article. With every step, my comfort bubble expanded to eventually fit the whole of room C266 inside.

Soccer also motivated me to stretch my boundaries. I started playing at 5 years old, and I do not think anyone expected me to play longer than a few years. I didn’t have the temperament for the sport. During drills, I’d dribble behind my coach so he wouldn’t see me mess up and I probably said “sorry” more than I called for the ball. Despite my fears, I fell in love with the game and, when I realized I wanted to play in college, I confronted my anxieties. I celebrated my small victories. Little Sydney never would have thought that she’d have the confidence to email college coaches or compete against talented players at ID camps. My small victories accumulated into a big one and I’m grateful to be committed to play Division III soccer.

Comfort zones aren’t fixed. They’re readjusted as our world grows and we challenge ourselves. Next year, the boundaries of my comfort zone might shrink as I enter my new environment but I understand the value of persisting through discomfort. I’ll be playing college soccer, meeting people with new perspectives, and sharing my writing with a new audience. I’m excited to open myself up to experience it.