Why Taking a Break From College Was Beneficial For Me
"Life begins at the end of your comfort zone." This is a quote I heard many years ago but it has always stuck with me. It wasn't until recently, however, that I fully understood the meaning of those words.
I was twenty-three and found myself stuck in a bubble. This bubble encompassed my hometown and my college town. It was a decent sized bubble, but it was a bubble none the less. It was a safety zone. It was my comfort zone and I was in no hurry to leave it. I was settling for mediocrity, not pursuing my dreams and wasting time. The latter of those would prove to be the biggest effect of my comfort zone.
As I said, I was twenty-three and in college. Not because I really wanted to be but because it was expected of me. Why would we not go to college after high school? Why would we not want to get a degree and work an 8-5? Why would we not try to make one of the biggest decisions of our lives at the not-so-ripe age of 18? Why not right?
Let me tell you why that didn't work for me. When I first started college I wanted to be a biomedical engineer. I wanted to make prosthetic limbs for people. I quickly discovered that biomedical anything wasn't going to be my niche and I switched majors. Five times to be exact. It seemed like every year I "found" a new life plan and tried convincing myself and my peers why it would fit me perfectly. I literally found myself trying to sell myself on why this major would be "different" and "perfect for me."
So I continued staying in college, skipping classes, not excelling because I knew in my heart the passion wasn't there. I didn't have that end goal that I so desperately needed so I didn't have any incentive for busting my ass in class. This may seem like a flawed logic, and trust me if I could go back in time I'd kick myself in the rear end, but I understand now.
I understand now that college isn't for everybody. College doesn't provide the learning experiences that some of us are seeking. While college is great for the majority of the graduating high school seniors, I found myself struggling with my own personal demons and that made it nearly impossible for me to focus on college.
That all changed when I came to Montana. (This is where I attempt to tie in my starting quote.) Montana was a possibility because my younger brother dropped out of college and started working seasonal jobs. He found himself in Montana working on a dude ranch, which was perfect because we had grown up with horses. I found myself on the way to Montana with some nerves and an open mind. If i didn't enjoy it, it would at least be a way to save up some money. If I did enjoy it, I would be able to start building up some work experience that I genuinely enjoyed. And I did, I love my job in Montana. I still work as a wrangler on a dude ranch and get paid to spend the day with horses.
Not only did my comfort with horses sky rocket, but my confidence did as well. I had found something that worked for me. And this only happened when I left my comfort zone. I left my friends and family back home and went on an adventure. Only this adventure wasn't a "spring break" style trip; this adventure got my mind right and pointed me into the direction of my future career.
The best thing about leaving our comfort zones is realizing how beautiful the world can be. I met people with similar interests and stories as me. And consequently I have met people with differing backgrounds and views than me, but we all had one thing in common; we wanted more from life than the norm. We were taking a chance and experiencing life in a way that few get to. The most beneficial thing about taking time off from college was meeting the people I currently work with. Though we come from all across the country, we became a family, and that is worth more to me than a degree is right now.
Just a thought I wanted to share.
-- Tyle
