Comfort Zone

Lately I have been trying to step out of my comfort zone more. I have been trying to do new things and not be so apprehensive about going different places and meeting new people. To really do so I have to identify my comfort zone and then identify whats out of it that I want to try to do.
One's comfort zone is determined by a lot of factors. Mostly by where the care giver's comfort level is, what they deem is within reason and what they deem not. Where they set their standards. It can be determines very much by social circles, and what friends have their comfort zone defined as.
I personally have a very limited zone! If I haven't done it, tasted it, met the person, or heard of the experience before, I have issues with it. For example, I know energy drinks won't kill me, and the effects will wear off, but it is way outside of my comfort zone to drink one! It just doesn't fly with me! I have a super hard time talking to people I haven't met for a long span of time as well. Not as in, I can't talk to the bank teller when I'm at the bank, it's more like I can't talk to this girl I sit next to everyday in my psychology class. It just freaks me out, I feel awkward, shy, lame, and many other emotions. My comfort zone is to small, and I want to change that.
See, I think people who never try to stretch their comfort zone miss out on things, on life experiences. A lot of people in my social circle are perfectly content in their zone. They don't feel the need to expand their circle. They hang with the same people, doing the same things, cause that is what is fun and familiar to them. Which I somewhat understand. But I also look at the way humans develop, the late teens and early 20's (the category in which I dwell) is THE TIME to expand your comfort zone! It's when you explore the world without your parents. It is a crucial milestone to step out of your comfort zone at this age. Just as crawling is a crucial milestone for toddlers. I'm not saying I'm now going to start downing energy drinks and meeting strange people everyday, but I'm going to try to talk to that girl in my psychology class, I'm going to try that noodle dish on the menu I've never tried, I'm going to apply for that internship, cause thats how you expand your comfort zone!
A bigger comfort zone will open up more opportunities for me in the long run, it will build up character and confidence. I will learn not to be so dependent on knowing all the people around me, which will force me to make new connections. College will be a huge comfort zone expander, mostly cause I will get in a car with all my belongings, go live in a town that I've never lived in, without my parents and where I know virtually nobody, and will still have to go to school.

My main point is, my comfort zone is this big --->  (  )     and I want it to be this big --->  (         )
cause I want to better myself while the opportunities present themselves.