Written by Bailey Coffman
This past January, I had the opportunity to go to New York with the Communication Department. We got up super early on Thursday morning to catch the train to Philadelphia for the day. After visiting the First Amendment Museum, we were all set on going to get some good food. So, we rode the subway to Reading Terminal Market where we walked through the maze of cakes, pies, juices, meats and enough food to keep your head turning for hours. I finally stopped at a booth that claimed to sell the “World’s Best Cheesesteaks.” I had never eaten a cheesesteak, and quite honestly, didn’t know what it was.
Now, I am not what I would call a foodie. I’m a very picky eater and like to stick to foods that I know I’ll like. My dad has always said, “Some people eat to live, and some people live to eat.” I fall on the “eat to live” part of the spectrum and often don’t see the point in spending a ridiculous amount of money on food, as it will be gone in a second. I’d rather spend my money on a nice pair of shoes.
Anyway, when I stumbled upon the “World’s Best Cheesesteaks,” my dad’s voice ringing through my head, I decided that at that moment, I was going to live to eat. I ordered the first cheesesteak I saw on the menu, paid the cashier a whopping $18, thinking, “I could’ve bought a cute top from H&M with that,” and waited for my cheesesteak. It came out hot, the thinly sliced steak perfectly complementing the melted cheese. That cheesesteak, to this day, is still one of my favorite things I have ever tasted.
As people, we are constantly growing and being shaped by our experiences. When you try new things, you are actively shaping who you become. What is it that we are really afraid of when it comes to trying something? Failure? I have come to believe that you only fail when you stop trying. The result of trying something new does not always turn out like trying my cheesesteak did. Sometimes, trying something new is not fun, or it’s really painful. But it is always worth it because I have learned some of the most wonderful things from failure that I never would have if I didn’t try.
