Trying new things was always an issue for me when I was younger. I stuck to what I was familiar with and what I liked. For example, when my family would go out to eat, I always ordered the chicken fingers and fries because I knew it was a safe, delicious choice. As I grew older, I realized that always making the safe choice may be comforting, but life isn’t always about comfort. Sometimes it’s about trying new things and taking risks. I took a risk this past weekend and went kayaking for the first time. In general, I love doing anything active and outdoors, but being in a small, narrow piece of plastic was a bit intimidating. We took the kayak out on the bay first, which was a good place to start because there were only a few boats out; and we definitely didn’t want to test our skills on rocky waters. It was a lot of fun once we got the hang of using the paddles and how to steer it. The kayak got shaky at some points, which made me nervous because I didn’t want to flip over into the water. Biting crabs and slimy fish aren’t my cup of tea. We ended up getting to our destination in one piece, which was a place called Seagull Island. It has a small beach with sandbars, cliffs and lots and lots of seagulls. The cool part about the island was that you could only get to it by boat or kayak, and you had to cross a heavy flow of traffic from boats entering and leaving the bay. So as kayak newbies, we felt pretty accomplished. That is why I think taking risks in life can be a good thing. It would have been a safe, easy decision for me to sit out on the kayaking trip, but I would have missed out on an unforgettable experience. — Amanda Smith, advertising and editorial coordinator