admin
Latwell Nyangu, Youth Interactive Writer
University life is filled with pleasure and pain. Ever heard that there should be a balance?
Anything on either extreme is bad. But for students, comfort zones should not be a priority.
You can only enjoy the comfort zone while seated on a couch at home, not in real life of hunting for success.
The point here is: life is in the balance and that balance is obtained through equivocating from comfort and discomfort.
For students, a constant state of either pain or pleasure is not growth. And a student’s life is all about growth.
Fellow students, suffering offers you the opportunity to react to it.
It helps your fortitude for a deep resolve to achieve your dreams of academic success.
Even if suffering does not yield you tangibly, rationally you can have a castle of learning.
One thing we should know is that academic life is never easy and students should go through some stages of suffering.
On that note, suffering can also be observed and yielded for someone’s own good.
Step out of your comfort zone. Life begins at the end of your comfort zone. Nothing grows in your comfort zone.
This week, I am targeting students who do not dare to aim above and feel too comfortable in the state they are in.
Let us not be comfortable with what we have.
Can getting uncomfortable and enduring the stress that comes with it really help you grow as a student, move you toward achieving your goals, and push you forward to the next stage of your life?
Fellow students, let us unpack what “getting outside your comfort zone” means and how it can be your new tool for achieving the grades you desire.
A comfort zone is not good for students.
Many times, I have noted that feeling comfortable with average marks seems to be stuck with many students.
When a student gets 50 percent, some feel comfortable and just tell themselves that they are sitting halfway.
There is a need for an inner push from within as a way of targeting great achievement.
Last time, I was having a chat with some fellow students who in their mind feel satisfied with just having a pass or slightly above half.
Once a student sits in their comfort zone, their dreams become below-par.
In my entire life, I have told myself that no student should fail at college.
Every student should pass, why should you fail?
In my quest, I now aim to surpass the obvious, no wonder why each exam I sit for, I target distinctions. If you see me, in a good mood, I will be listening to Silent Killer, the Zimdancehall chanter whose music has no limitations.
Silent sings what he wants at whatever time.
I don’t even think, he knows what he will be singing next but the elements of his lyrics depict no comfort zone.
That probably explains why he sang, “handisisiri kumany more”. Forget about his character and focus on his music.
Only the students who want to grow in character will leave their comfort zone.
Some act intentionally and some situations are forced upon us due to the responsibilities we would have taken on.
Many students are just happy residing in their comfort zone.
When adverse winds arise, however, they will murmur and likely look for something or someone to blame for their discomfort.
Students who want to excel must be mentally prepared. They must also be prepared to change habits and mind sets that may keep them in their comfort zone.
If you are not growing or learning new things. You are not taking chances in your life.
You are not fulfilling your goals or dreams. If you find yourself wondering why you are not accomplishing things you want to accomplish, making new friends, or getting better grades, then it is time to look at areas where you might be a little too comfortable and passive.
Get it from me, it is also not healthy to push yourself too far all the time. Being in a constant state of high stress can take its toll, students need to return to the safety of their comfort zone often.
Just like you would not train on the treadmill all day, but may just put in an hour or two, you should step outside of your comfort zone for only certain lengths of time.
Read for more hours, if you would only read for one hour.
It depends on what we determine as “suffering”. I think that some of us do not want to leave our comfort zone because we fear the unknown and that makes us scared, and it haunts us.
Many students, sometimes toggle between the fear of the unknown and the thing that they want which in the end brings suffering since they are unable to make a choice.
The conflict inside many students’ head on whether they should surpass half mark where they are unhappy can be a source of suffering.
Sometimes we are forced out of our comfort zone by our situations and have to adapt in the moment.
Should we stay comfortable because we have been doing this for long, but we know that we do not really love to be getting Passes against Distinctions?
I think either way we are going to be suffering, but it depends on how long you want it to last.
You might feel some angst in stepping outside of your comfort zone, you might feel some hurt, you might have to stretch a little, and you might have to grow.
In the end, that bit of suffering might be worth it.
But if you want to move yourself out of your comfort zone, you must set new goals.
Until we meet for a toast!
Feedback: [email protected]
Online Reporter