Learning to Believe in My Work by Balbina

Learning to Believe in My Work by Balbina - August 2026 Scholarship Essay

One of the most important times I learned from feedback was this year when I took a research class. Around February, I began practicing how to present my research to a group of undergraduates. Eventually, I would have to present my research in a competition against other students from across Northern Indiana.
During my practice presentations, I kept hearing the same feedback: I did not seem proud or excited about my research. At first, I did not really understand what they meant. Looking back, I realize that a big reason was because I was constantly comparing myself to the other students. I would listen to their presentations and think that their research sounded smarter, more educational, and more impactful than mine. I had also worked with a professor from a community college, while some of my friends were working with professors from more well-known universities. I started to wonder if my research was not as important as theirs.
I had always heard the saying, “Comparison is the thief of joy,” but this was one of the first times I truly understood it. I realized that I was so focused on what other people were doing that I was forgetting how much work I had put into my own research.
After hearing the feedback multiple times, I decided I needed to change my mindset. I began reminding myself that I belonged in the competition and that my research was worth sharing. I had spent months learning about it, and just because someone else’s research was different did not make mine less meaningful.
When the actual competition came, I was still nervous. However, I kept a smile on my face, stayed confident, and focused on being excited about what I had worked so hard to learn. I wanted every person who came to my poster to feel my enthusiasm. Even though the saying “fake it till you make it” may sound cliché, I learned that sometimes confidence starts with choosing to act confident.
In the end, I received the award for Most Enthusiasm and placed second in the overall competition. More importantly, the feedback taught me something that went beyond research or presentations. It taught me to stop measuring the value of my work by comparing it to someone else’s. Now, when I learn something new, I try to focus less on whether I am the best and more on whether I am growing, learning, and taking pride in the work I do.