“Be okay with being uncomfortable.” I have thought about this advice a lot during my time in FFA. However, it has taken me a while to fully understand what it means. This summer, I had the opportunity to spend two weeks at FFA Camp. Before heading to Camp, I was dreading my two weeks there. I had never been to camp before, so it was a little bit like I was being thrown into the deep end. I did not even get to just be a camper and knew I would be pushed to be a leader. Camp was filled with many new opportunities and interactions with new people that took me out of my comfort zone. As my time at Camp Rising Sun ended, I was wishing I could sign up for more time. Sometimes, it is okay and even important to be uncomfortable in order to grow.

For most of my time in FFA, I stayed stuck in doing the things I enjoy and have not always been the best at trying new things. I did speech contest after speech contest, but pretty much never signed up to be on a CDE team. Speech contests were like a crutch for me, as I had done so many that I knew what to expect, and I have to admit, contest teams were a little bit intimidating. Still, when my advisor asked me to fill in on the poultry team for the Central District Contest, I said, “yes.”  It ended up being one of the best experiences of my FFA career. So, take the time to try something new in FFA and push yourself out of your comfort zone. Sometimes a little discomfort brings the most growth and makes for the best memories.