Question

Some people like to try new things, for example, places to visit and types of food. Other people prefer to keep doing things they are familiar with. Discuss both these attitudes and give your own opinion.

Model Answer

It is common to hear people recommend stepping outside your comfort zone. By this, they mean doing an adventurous activity such as skydiving or, more mundanely, going somewhere different on holiday. My personal view is that although there is nothing wrong with trying something new, sticking to a familiar routine can be equally rewarding.

Personal growth is one reason often cited in support of trying new things. The argument is that by challenging ourselves, we are likely to develop confidence in our abilities. For example, if someone has a dislike of swimming, they might be encouraged to take a swimming class at a local leisure centre. Even though they may not fall in love with the sport, they will gain satisfaction from accomplishing something they did not think they were capable of.

On the other hand, there is also satisfaction to be had from doing the same thing repeatedly. Just because you have done an activity before does not mean that you cannot learn and grow from it. Many people like to take the same walk in the countryside each day; each time they do so, they notice something different in their surroundings. For instance, they might develop a deeper understanding of how the changing weather affects a particular plant or animal.

In conclusion, I believe that there are benefits to both approaches to life but that people should not always feel the need to mix up their routine.

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