Fear to Freedom by Arabella

Fear to Freedom by Arabella - May 2026 Scholarship Essay

Moving out of my abusive family's house was probably the most intimidating and scary thing I have ever done in my life. When I was 18, I finally decided I had had enough with how my family was treating me, so I took on what I would consider the most terrifying challenge in my life and moved out. I ended up living with my partner, with no car, barely any money, and no experience of what the real world was like. On top of that, I had the mental burden of what my family thought about me. They thought of me as weak, as someone who was gonna end up failing. I believed them at first. I thought there was no way someone like me could make it very far with the limited knowledge I had. But that all changed after the first couple of months. My partner was the one who kept me motivated. My partner had also been in a similar situation and was able to make it out. They were a constant reminder that anything was possible. I kept telling myself that if they can get through it, then so can I. My partner also took on the financial burden for the first couple of months, so I could get back on my feet. They helped me learn about boundaries I could set with my family, and they have been working out great. Slowly, I started to learn things on my own, my partner just showed me the ropes, and I finished them, and after some time, I didn't even need help from my partner or anyone. I figured out how to research and contact certain people to complete the tasks that needed to get done, I was able to save up enough money and buy my own car and pay for my own insurance, and I was able to talk to my college advisor and figure out a plan to transfer to the university I wanted. All this hard work really paid off. I realized the more challenges I took on and beat, the more confidence I started to grow. In the end, I didn't need my parents' help. I didn't need anyone's help. I'm more than capable of succeeding on my own. In my journey of living alone, I learned that anything is possible as long as you put in the work. I also learned that independence is such a great way to learn more about yourself and to grow. As much as I hated living there, I'm grateful I get to grow as a person and get to live life to my expectations and nobody else's.