Anna’s Advice

By Anna Belson

HottyToddy Intern

Greetings! My name is Anna Belson, and I’m a senior majoring in Marketing and Communications at Ole Miss. I’m originally from Atlanta, but moved to Jackson, Miss., during the middle of my freshman year of high school. As hard as that move was, it was the reason I ultimately chose to attend Ole Miss, which I would not change for the world. 

Being a senior now and reflecting back on my last four years of college is surreal. I can’t even believe how fast it’s gone by; it feels like just yesterday that I was a freshman trying to figure everything out. 

There are definitely things I wish I knew as a freshman that I’ve learned over the last few years. That being said, I’d like to share some of the things with you that I wish someone had shared with me at the time! 

I’ve created a list of 10 of the most important pieces of advice that I wish I knew, and I’ll cover one each week. Here’s the first one: 

Get out of your comfort zone

College is all about finding yourself and meeting new people. It can be scary, but it is so worth it in the end! 

The first piece of advice I want to cover is getting out of your comfort zone. This was super difficult for me at first because being from Jackson, there are lots of expectations, such as being “expected” to join a certain sorority or fraternity. I recognized those expectations and realized that I wanted to try something different. I wanted to create a whole new experience for myself with nothing holding me back. 

I decided to join a sorority that few people from Jackson choose, which felt lonely at first. However, I knew that I wanted to surround myself with new people and thus new experiences. This ultimately ended up being one of the best decisions I have ever made. Everyone made me quickly feel right at home, and I ended up meeting the best friends I could ever ask for. 

It was scary taking the risk and going in a different direction from my peers, but I know I would have regretted it if I didn’t at least try. College is all about figuring out yourself as a person and your interests. I also did this by asking more questions in class, joining any clubs that intrigued me, and pushing myself to have a regular way of exercise to improve not only my physical health, but mental as well. 

Starting conversations with people on campus that you’ve never met before could also be a great start to expanding your comfort zone. Some other ways to get out of your comfort zone could possibly be by picking up a new hobby, slightly changing your normal routine, or even facing a specific fear and overcoming it. 

By getting out of my comfort zone, I learned to have a clearer understanding of my interests, skills, and even motivations. I have learned so much more about myself through this process and encourage everyone to do what they want to do, regardless of any expectations! 

It is a natural human tendency to stick with what you are comfortable with and feel safest around. Trying new things can be scary, but it will ultimately give you the opportunity to grow as a person and expand your experiences.

Coming up next week, I offer advice on how to pace yourself in The Grove.