Doing Things that Scare You is Important

By Sophia Masi

Edited by Taylor Morgan

💐Rocio💐 / @hpthe on Pinterest

Over the last few years, I have reworked my mindset on so many things. How I approach my everyday life and my habits. I feel like my brain is completely different from how it was when I started that process, and in a good way. One of the biggest things I have changed is doing things that scare me. 

It is better to try and fail than to never have tried at all. Failure is inevitable—in life, school, career and relationships. I will face failure in life (more than just a couple of times), and that is just something I have come to terms with. But failure is not a bad thing. Of course, failing never feels good. It’s hard and it sucks to go through—but it also forces you to change and grow as a person, to get back up. And, the other outcome of trying is succeeding. 

There is no better feeling than succeeding at something you were so scared to do. For example, when I joined the fashion program a couple of years ago, I was scared. Am I skilled enough for this? Are my ideas good enough? What if I go through all of this for nothing? Needless to say, acquiring a fashion minor has been one of my favorite experiences at Miami.

For the last two years, I have watched the MUF&D fashion shows and admired all the designs. I remember when I saw the show in 2023, I was an assistant and kept thinking to myself, “This is so cool, I want to be a designer one day.” The next fall, I was too scared to try out. I thought my skills weren’t good enough and I wasn’t cut out for it. But this fall, I did try out. I was so scared, what if I don’t get in? This year was my last chance, and what if I never get to be a designer?

But I tried anyway. I worked hard on making pieces I was proud of and drawing designs that I dreamt of making and seeing on the runway. And the hard work paid off. I am going to be a designer for the 2026 fashion show! And again—I’m scared! What if my designs don’t look how I want? What if I’m not as skilled as I think? What if, what if, what if. But… What if the designs come out better than I could have imagined? I am scared, but I am so excited, and I know I can do it. 

Doing things that scare you may not always have to result in some life-changing event; it can be as simple as answering a question in class or making a new friend, or sharing your art with people. As an example, last month I answered a question in a lecture and I was wrong. So what? My friend and I laughed, and then I ended up remembering the right answer when the exam came. I have made friends through being scared of rejection when asking them to do something, but asking them anyway, and it worked out.

At the beginning of the last school year, I wasn’t even in UP. I didn’t know where I would fit in—if I would fit in. I was scared I would not get into any teams, and I was not sure where my passions were. I ended up applying to nine different teams and was accepted into four of them—all of which I am still on this year, and two I am now the director or co-director of. UP has been one of my greatest experiences at college, and if I had never applied, I would have missed out on so much. 

Trying and failing leads to growth, and trying and succeeding leads to satisfaction. So, really, is there a bad outcome? Is failing truly failing? Nobody ever achieved their dreams by letting their fears hold them back. I try to do things that scare me pretty often. Really—what's the worst that could happen? You learn from it and move on? Your biggest aspirations realized? The only thing scarier than doing things that scare you, is not doing them and wondering what could be if you had.