Risk means taking a chance, trying something new, and possibly failing or succeeding, but we must all experience risk in our lives. Taking chances is one of the most crucial ways of helping to advance one’s skills and gaining experience. Imagine a life where everything was the same, everything was safe, everything was easy, and most importantly nobody failed. How would we learn, grow, and adapt without risk?
Danika Gordon a junior at SDSU majoring in Ag Business and Business Economics states, “Risk means new opportunities, and new opportunities mean great adventures.” College is a time to get out of your box and try something new whether that be joining a new club, getting an internship, or even simply talking to new people. Taking advantage of what is offered and attempting new things is how we open the door to new opportunities.
While risk often means failure, which may seem scary, we must all experience failure to become better. It is said that Thomas Edison made 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb. But rather than view those as failures, he recognized he gained the experience necessary to finally make his light bulb a reality. Similarly, we must see our failed attempts as practice, or a learning experience and use that knowledge to help better yourself and learn from your mistakes. A impactful quote to live by is, “Failure is not the opposite of success, it’s part of success.”
As SDSU’s fall 2022 semester wraps up, the Ness School encourages students to continue trying new things – new classes, new internships, or new clubs – to expand your knowledge and experiences while at South Dakota State University. Strive to seek out new opportunities and use these experiences to learn and grow to become the person you were meant to be.