Still Standing, Still Belonging by Elisa

Still Standing, Still Belonging by Elisa - July 2025 Scholarship Essay

If I could give one piece of advice to my past self, it would be this: You are allowed to struggle and still belong.

When I first started college, I thought that if something was meant for me, it would come easily. I believed that passion alone would carry me through. But stepping into the world of cybersecurity at Hampton University quickly showed me otherwise. The coursework was rigorous. The technical material was complex. There were times when I stayed up late trying to understand topics that did not click right away. I doubted myself more than once. I wondered if I was smart enough to be in this major or strong enough to stay in it.

If I could sit down with my younger self, I would tell her that struggling does not mean you are not good enough. Struggling means you are learning something that will make you stronger. It means you care enough to try, even when it is hard. And most of all, it means you are human. No one talks enough about how isolating it can feel to be one of the few Black women in a technical field. But I would remind her that her presence in the classroom is powerful. That every test she takes, every line of code she writes, every project she completes is a quiet act of resistance and leadership. She is doing something that matters, not just for herself, but for all the little girls who do not yet know they can belong in cybersecurity too.

I would tell her that one day, she will be entering her final year of college. She will still be standing, still fighting for her dream, and still working toward becoming a cybersecurity analyst for the United States Space Force. That dream might have felt far away back then, but every challenge she faced brought her closer to it. The failed assignments, the confusing lectures, the moments of exhaustion and frustration were not signs that she was in the wrong place. They were signs that she was growing into the person she was meant to be.

I would tell her to stop comparing her journey to anyone else’s. To give herself the same patience and encouragement she gives to others. To understand that the road to something meaningful is rarely smooth, and that is okay. I would tell her that it is not about being perfect. It is about showing up, doing the work, and staying true to her why.

And finally, I would tell her that she is not alone. Even when it feels like no one understands what she is going through, there are others walking similar paths. Some are ahead, some are just starting out, and some are watching her to see if it can be done. And when they see her, they will see possibility.

The struggles never made her less worthy. They made her resilient. They made her real. And most importantly, they made her ready.