Emory University asks a lot of its students. We are required to take a foreign language, go to networking events and attend classes. Although sometimes bothersome, these requirements enable us to engage with the resources on campus. It is easy to benefit from the outstanding professors and prestigious Emory name when these perks are, on some level, compulsory. Ironically, however, the most valuable resource Emory offers — the opportunity to interact with and learn from your fellow students — is the one thing the University cannot require you to do. Emory’s community is truly amazing, but it is on you to step out of your comfort zone and harness it.
Nowhere was this lesson more apparent than at Emory in the fall of 2020, when the Class of 2024 arrived amid COVID-19 to find a campus that was virtually devoid of all of the things that define Emory now. Gone were Wonderful Wednesdays and Student Programming Council concerts; instead, we got our Dobbs Common Table food in takeout boxes and ate it in our rooms, alone. I was still lucky — the swim team allowed me to meet a great, built-in group of like-minded friends — but as the year went on, I realized that on some level, I had taken the easy way out. The amazing, diverse student body with different backgrounds, interests and goals that I had been so excited to learn from still felt out of arm’s reach. I was comfortable in my bubble, but I wasn’t satisfied.
Courtesy of Dani Parra del Riego Valencia
I’m no stranger to seeking out discomfort in the swimming pool. Every day, I make a conscious choice to put myself in a difficult situation — who wouldn’t rather stay warm and dry at 5 a.m.? It was this same attitude that compelled me to attend the Student Activities Fair by myself at the beginning of my sophomore year. I am not naturally an incredibly extroverted, outspoken person. I knew I didn’t have to go. But I was determined, and admittedly, nervous. I ended up joining Emory Impact Investing Group (EIIG), and at first, I was uncomfortable. I was the only athlete in the club, and I didn’t know anyone in the organization. But this new experience was just like jumping in the pool. After that initial shock, I warmed up — and that didn’t stop at just joining. Being part of EIIG exposed me to people from cultures, backgrounds and ideological groups that I never would have encountered otherwise at Emory. I created friendships with students from different countries, majors and schools. Together, our team deployed over $80,000 to more than 10 local entrepreneurs. I worked with a wide range of entrepreneurs, from an Army veteran to a formerly homeless woman, to help them start, grow and optimize their businesses. Working with these individuals ignited a passion for social impact and entrepreneurship that I never would have found if I had not gone to that fair alone three years ago.
Discomfort is not something to be afraid of. Rarely, if ever, will great achievements or development come from remaining in your comfort zone. When I really think about it, discomfort has underscored most of my significant successes because if I was uncomfortable, chances are that I was growing either as a student, athlete, coworker or friend.
When I reflect on my time on the Emory swimming team, the thing I am most grateful for isn’t the national championships, the broken records or the trophies. It is how swimming has taught me, through all the grueling practices and thrilling meets, to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. Becoming used to placing yourself in daunting situations is almost a superpower. It has enabled me to make the most of my Emory experience and exposed me to people, places and groups that I am forever indebted to and would not have met if not for putting myself out there.
I challenge every Emory student, at some point in their college career, to really make an intentional choice to be uncomfortable. It is the one thing that enabled my personal growth here at Emory, and I’m excited to carry this mindset on into my career and beyond.
Jake Meyer (24B) is from Columbus, Ohio, and majored in finance and philosophy. A captain of Emory’s swimming and diving teams, he is a four-time national champion and a 12-time All-American. He was previously the chief loan officer of Emory Impact Investing Group. After graduation, Meyer will be working at Piper Sandler in Chicago in their investment banking division.
