Since birth, adults have given us rules that must be abided by ‘ be home by a certain time, don’t cut class, chew with your mouth closed, etc.

Even as adults, we are constantly expected to listen to instructions and follow them without question.

But for some reason, breaking those rules is so much more fun than following them. While doing what we’re supposed to may get us further in the long run (and we’re very much aware of that), the rush we get from doing the ‘wrong’ thing is way too good to pass up.

Downing shots all night long will probably make us throw up in the morning, but we do it anyway. Saving a paper until a few hours before class will most likely result in a bad grade, but we put it off anyway. Falling for the bad guy may hurt 10 times more than surrendering to prince charming, but we take the risk anyway.

But these risks may not be the ones that leave us with someone to cuddle with at night, go on dates at the Glenn G. Bartle Library with or kiss us until we fall asleep. They might be the ones that have us up at three in the morning crying or having to deal with a fight at the Rat. Either way, it’s hard to distinguish a risk that’ll end up in a fairytale from one that can turn into an absolute nightmare.

So why do we do it? Why do we risk so much for things when there’s so much to lose? Is the short-lived adrenaline rush worth the C+ or the bags under our eyes because of lost sleep or the time it takes to get over a broken heart?

Maybe I’m unintentionally overthinking it. Sometimes we do things just to do them, not for any higher, more significant reason. Half the time, we may not even realize that the chances we take are going to bring us out of our comfort zones, but those could be the times that mean the most to us.

Or maybe it’s because we need that sense of control. Being told what to do doesn’t go over too well with most of us ‘ the need to rebel takes over. Oddly enough, the more we are told something is wrong, the more we want to experience it for ourselves.

Then again, there is an element of comfort in doing as we’re told. No surprises, no questions and no doubts as to what is about to happen. Living life in a routine manner makes everything simpler ‘ if we’re comfortable with everything around us, we can’t get hurt.

But too much comfort is never fun. Everyone needs a change every once in a while, even though the lone thought of change can be frightening. Maybe the risks are worth taking ‘ whether it leaves us with prince charming or all alone.