Out of My Shell by Emily

Out of My Shell by Emily - August 2025 Scholarship Essay

I’ve gotten comfortable in Florida. I have friends who I know and love. I have friends who know and love me back. I rarely have to stretch out of this comfort zone, especially socially. However, I am now moving over 1,000 miles away from my home in Sarasota to Mt. Pleasant, Michigan: right in the middle of Michigan. I am coming into a college where I do not know anyone, and the thought of having to start all over makes me want to curl up in a ball and not move for maybe the rest of my life.
I remember this feeling from when I graduated elementary school and went to a middle school where I didn’t know anybody. And I was fine. I made friends. I remember being terrified out of my mind but I also remember looking that fear in the face and deciding I would not let that fear win. I was just fine and I know I will be in college.
My biggest goal for this academic school year is to get out of my shell. I know I’m a shy person, and maybe I’ll always be, but I want to be better about initiating conversation. I want to not be so scared, or if I am scared, I want to look like I’m not. This will make all aspects of my college life significantly better. I will have study buddies, I will have hangouts to look forward to, and I won’t spend all my time crying in my room about how I miss Florida. I want to be uncomfortable and I want to reach a point where that uncomfortable is comfortable.