To Endure is to Triumph by Jordan

To Endure is to Triumph by Jordan - January 2026 Scholarship Essay

My favorite book is called Sold. This book is about a 13 year old girl who was sold into sex trafficking. She went through sexual assault, abuse, neglect and many other traumatic events that went on in her life. S She went through so much for 2 years and was rescued after she put her trust into a man that saved her. Reading this I found comfort in seeing her overcome her battles. This made me reflect on all the events that I have been through in my life.
My mental health was not always the best growing up. I was a lively kid with so many goals, and dreams. I've been a background actor, I've been singing and dancing since I was 4 years old and I still try to pursue those hobbies. When I started high school I always had the idea that I had to " fit in" I didn't dress like the rest. My mom never allowed me to wear wigs, lashes, or anything that was too revealing. To most I didn't know how to dress and boys never looked my way. My self esteem severely declined when I noticed I was a tad bigger than all the other girls in my grade. I was bullied and even cyber bullied growing up. Because of this I attempted suicide my freshmen year of high school. I was hospitalized for the first time on December 19th-December 24th. Being there obviously was not a pleasant visit and it only made me decline even more.
Since then I was hospitalized 5 other times due to my mental health. It felt like a endless cycle of never getting anywhere. Soon I felt like I was comfortable with being depressed. I felt comfort in feeling down because that was all that I've ever known. Soon I didn't see anymore light. I had the mindset that I wouldn't live to see the age of 16. I attempted again the day after my 16th birthday due to a terrible breakup. I know most are like "seriously over a boy?" But when you grow up hating yourself and one person finally loves you and that stops, its like your world crashes down. I lost many friends due to my mental health and even my family turned their back on me. I felt like there was no way out and the only way was to cut my story short.
My final hospitalization was on July 25th 2025. By this point I was tired. I had no motivation to wake up anymore and I knew one of these days my attempt would not fail. When I was in the hospital I met a therapist and her name was Ms. Kim. I loved her because she saw something in me that I didn't know I had. She found that light in all of my darkness and never treated me like a patient. She told me "Your story does not have to end just because you have fallen. Some mistakes are made to be made its how you erase and start over." At first I did not know what she meant. How are you supposed to erase something you have already done? It did not make sense at first but during reflection time I really reflected on that quote.
The very next day something just changed in me. Suddenly I realized this was not the life I wanted to live anymore. My "mistakes" were my attempts I was supposed to fail. I thought every time I woke up from passing out I was weak and stupid because I could not even end my life right but I never realized that was for a reason. My story was never meant to be cut short. I knew I was supposed to live and I knew that I just had to make it through the end of this tunnel.
It is now my senior year and I have not been hospitalized since then. I have found a bigger passion for singing and I'm currently even the student director of my choir. My strength is determination. I did not want my negativity to win. Soon I had to become uncomfortable with feeling down and that's what made me push forward to be a better person. Having a support system truly helped me get better and I, myself was my biggest fan. I wanted to win so bad and I am so close to the finish line. I graduate in 4 months and if you told me 6 months ago that I got accepted into my dream college and I am graduating I would not have believed you. My story isn't over and just like Lakshmi I've endured so much just to come out on top.