Be Brave Enough To Try by Keilly

Be Brave Enough To Try by Keilly - July 2025 Scholarship Essay

One piece of advice I’d give to my high school self is this, “ You don’t have to be fearless. You just have to be brave enough to try."

For the longest time, I rarely raised my hand in class, even when I knew the answer. I was the student who was excessively fidgety during presentations, even when the topic was something I genuinely enjoyed. I felt out of place and believed the students who had lots of friends or answered questions with ease were just naturally confident. Severe social anxiety shaped much of my childhood and school experience. People often told me, “It gets better,” but no one ever told me how. No one explained that growth requires discomfort, or that confidence isn’t something you’re born with. It’s something you build slowly over time by doing the things that scare you and learning to trust yourself.

I avoided presenting, even when it meant missing out on extra credit. I stayed away from most clubs which led me to miss out on leadership opportunities. I convinced myself I wasn’t the type of person who could take these opportunities if there were any.

Looking back, I wish someone had told me that fear doesn’t mean stop. It just means go slowly, but still go. If I had understood that it was okay to be afraid and still try, I might have found my voice sooner. I might have joined more activities and built stronger connections that would have helped me grow.

But even though I started late, I started. In college, I pushed myself to apply for research programs, even when I doubted my qualifications. I participated in my first Three Minute Thesis (3MT) presentation, and to be honest, that first attempt was rough. My voice shook the entire time, and I couldn’t finish my script, so I was instantly disqualified. I felt humiliated and wanted to cry on the spot. As I sat back down, a stranger offered what I’m sure was a well meaning comment, but it only made me feel worse. I began to question whether I had chosen the wrong path. How could I become a research professor if I couldn’t even present for just three minutes?

Still, I didn’t stop trying. I kept participating in the 3MT competition despite my fear. Just last semester, I received an honorable mention. I may not have placed, but that recognition made me proud. It reminded me of how far I’ve come and how much I’ve grown . . . not just as a student, but as a person.