Over the past few days, I’ve been on quite the adventure. I presented at a conference, got lost in the middle of the freeway in Minneapolis during rush hour — a terrifying experience for a girl who has never lived anywhere bigger than Grand Forks — and have even learned that I handle emergencies well.

Each of these events were scary, especially the conference and big city driving. I’d been working on this presentation for almost two semesters and was scared that no one would take a lowly undergraduate seriously.

I almost didn’t even submit it. What was the point? Surely, I have nothing to really contribute to the academic roles of a Writing Center. No one would care what I had to say about how we define basic writers. It didn’t matter that I’d done all the research, cited all the right sources and was prepared. I thought I wasn’t qualified to comment.

I’ve heard of graduate students going through the same anxiety, but they at least have a degree. They’ve gone through the trials and can be a valid part of the group.

I knew I could handle myself in other people’s emergencies from my past work as an EMT, but my own? I had no idea.

I don’t know how I did it, but I was able to safely get my car over to the shoulder. I did everything I could, but there was no getting my car to move.

The coolant reservoir and the radiator were both pouring liquid out, and the engine wouldn’t even turn over. At least the smoke stopped once my engine cooled. For the first time in my life, I was on the other end of a 911 call. Instead of helping, I was the one asking for the help.

The state trooper was very kind. The tow truck driver even kinder.

There was much to be scared of these past few days and many more reasons to panic. But I survived and am wiser for it.

College can be full of risks and trials, but if we don’t face them head on, we will never learn or grow. Sometimes it will be scary; sometimes we will call our friends and parents in tears. But in the end, it’s worth it.

Education doesn’t start and end in the classroom; opportunities for growth are everywhere.

Kjerstine Trooien is a columnist for The Dakota Student. She can be reached at [email protected].