Fear and Loathing in State College

Let's face it: We could live to be one hundred years old and still not know how to do all the things. We could study all the books or knit all the scarves, and there would still be someone who knew more, or could do better.

And, as people get older, they seem to be more ashamed by what they don't know how to do/have never done. Yes, I am a major culprit. We'll learn together, dear reader. D'aww, bonding. Oftentimes I hear people say "well...I could never do that...I've never learned!"

One of the saddest things about growing up is that people often assume they can't look silly or foolish when doing anything. I don't know about you, but I seldom see a skier wearing a suit and tie, never wobbling or shouting "HOW THE HELL DO I TURN ON THESE THINGS?"

Perhaps that's because I rarely venture outside the bunny hill. But that's another story.

From what I've experienced, it's difficult to try new things when other people are watching. I've spent my first month working in the cheese department getting wrapping lessons from at least 4 different people. It's awkward and scary to declare that 1) you are a novice and 2) sometimes you won't have natural talent from the get-go.

But unless you were a superstar since age 3 and win olympic gold medals until retirement, there's a chance your ambitions are going to change. A lot. And in order to fulfill that ambition, you're gonna have to look like a bit of a fool mastering a new skill.

If the winning force within humans is ambition, the runner up is fear. Fear that we'll look stupid. Fear that we'll fail. And sure, you probably will look like an idiot tumbling down a ski slope with one ski falling off your foot and the other slamming into your face. But the trick is not how good you look doing something, it's how you present it. If you play up the silliness and make faces while you smash into a pile of snow, those looking at you either A) Aren't actually looking at you and are staring off into space while thinking about themselves or B) See you as someone who isn't afraid to indulge in your ridiculous-ness sometimes.

It's hard to take people's advice to "just let go" and literally not care what other people think. Some may pull off the aloof nature better than others, but all of us care to some extent. We want to impress others on occasion. Picturing everyone watching in their underwear doesn't help much either...though it does succeed in making you laugh at the most inappropriate of times.

What I've found to be most helpful is to start off around those you aren't concerned about impressing. While close friends are the most obvious answer, I also can more easily loosen up around older people. And turtles. Turtles are very non-judgmental creatures. Once you've gotten to that relaxed nature, it's a million times easier to go forth and adventure.

It's a lot more admirable to try new things and look weird doing it than saying no because you're scared.

That, folks, is the true meaning of YOLO. If that word must be used.

As told in Game of Thrones, Bran questions "'can a man still be brave if he's afraid?'" (137). His father's answer? "That is the only time a man can be brave." 

Namaste.