There’s a lyric from the musical Cabaret that asks, “What good is sitting alone in your room? / Come hear the music play / Life is a cabaret, old chum / Come to the cabaret.”

As I prepare to graduate from Hofstra University this May, I reflect on my time at school and wish I would’ve gone out more during the first three years of my collegiate experience. I mean, I went out, but not enough, I feel. By and large, I’m happy with what I did at Hofstra, but like anything else, you look back and go, ‘what could I have done differently?’ I could’ve “visited the cabaret” more.

I think my insecurity about my own public perception had gotten the better of me and resulted in me staying inside the comfort zone of my room. Since then, I’ve had this realization that my college days are coming to an end. Despite my fear, I’m trying to face it more often and go out more than I did the first three years so I have less regret when I graduate.

Think about it, if someone stays inside all the time, they won’t be able to enjoy a night out with friends, share a smile or laugh with someone, have the chance to try something different and discover a new interest or meet people who have the possibility to change their life for the better. All of which has happened to me throughout my four years of college, on the days and nights I decided to face my fears and face the world.

After my epiphany, I’m now trying to make these moments more common occurrences now and beyond graduation. I am now allowing myself to get swept up in the beautiful music that is the cabaret of life. No matter who you are, I hope you do the same.