Stepping out of Comfort Zones & onto a Stage in Scotland

In September of 2013, I was a college sophomore, shy, insecure, and struggling with a heavy class load, a job, and a major I wasn’t happy in. Somewhere in the massive amounts of emails my university sent out every week, one caught my eye. The theatre department was going to the Edinburgh Fringe – an international theatre festival in Edinburgh, Scotland.

I sent the professor an email – “Hi, I’m Emily. I have no theatre experience, but I’d love to go to Scotland.” I still have no idea how or why, but they agreed to let me go. I would spend the Spring 2014 semester learning the play (and learning how to act) and then would travel with the theatre department to Scotland in August for the largest international theatre festival in the world.

The first day of class came around. I almost didn’t go. I still have the email draft – “Hi, I’m so sorry. I’ve had some things come up and will be unable to travel to Scotland this summer. Thank you again for the opportunity.” Yeah. That “thing” that came up was really just my fear – of failure, of meeting new people, of taking a class where I was expected to stand up and talk in public… The list goes on. Walking across campus to the fine arts building the first day is still one of the top 10 scariest things I’ve ever done.

But you know what? That class and that trip to Scotland were the highlights of my university experience. I jumped out of my comfort zone and found some of my best friends, my new favorite country to visit, a rediscovered love of the creative life, and the courage to change my major and career path. So if you were looking for a sign to go do that scary thing, send the email, book the ticket… whatever it is, I hope you go for it, and I hope it’s amazing.