When the Odds Turn in Your Favor by Nicole

When the Odds Turn in Your Favor by Nicole - October 2025 Scholarship Essay

Have you ever felt like no matter what you did, it just wasn’t enough to fit in? That’s how I felt for most of high school... constantly adjusting who I was, hoping someone would finally see me. I changed the way I dressed, the music I listened to, and even how I talked, but the more I tried to blend in, the more invisible I felt. It wasn’t until I met Lucy Gray Baird, not in person, but through the pages of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, that I realized what I’d been missing all along: myself.

Lucy Gray was thrown into one of the most terrifying situations imaginable: the Hunger Games. Everything was stacked against her. She wasn’t the strongest or the most feared tribute; she was an outsider, underestimated and mocked by many. Yet, instead of breaking down, she turned her uniqueness into her greatest strength. That persistence to make “the odds in her favor,” as she often sang, resonated deeply with me. She didn’t fight like the others: she sang, she performed, she adapted, and she won over the Capitol not by pretending to be what they wanted, but by being unapologetically herself.

Reading about Lucy Gray’s persistence made something click inside me. Her confidence wasn’t loud or boastful; it was quiet, creative, and genuine. She didn’t have control over her circumstances, but she controlled her reaction to them. She faced cruelty and judgment, yet stayed true to her personality: charming, clever, and kind. It made me wonder: if Lucy Gray could stay herself in the face of death, why was I so afraid to be myself in front of my classmates?

That question stayed with me when I started at Full Sail University. Suddenly, I was surrounded by creative people from everywhere, each with their own talents and ambitions. The feeling of competition crept in again, but this time, I remembered Lucy Gray. Instead of trying to prove myself to everyone, I focused on being who I truly was: the talkative, creative, slightly overthinking me. I joined clubs that genuinely excited me, spoke my mind in class discussions, and connected with people who shared my passions, rather than trying to impress those who didn’t. I even took a chance on myself and my ideas; I opened up my own club about one of the things I'm passionate about.

To my surprise, the more I embraced who I was, the less lonely I felt. People started gravitating toward me, not because I was trying to please them, but because I was being real. The sense of isolation I carried all through high school faded, and it was replaced by a confidence I didn’t even know I had. It reminded me of how Lucy Gray stood on that stage, singing to an audience that once mocked her, and somehow turned the odds in her favor.

Her story taught me something I’ll never forget: you don’t have to change yourself to be accepted, you just have to accept yourself first. In a world that constantly tells us to fit in, Lucy Gray showed me that the most powerful thing you can do is stand out... as yourself.

Now, whenever I face a new challenge, whether it’s a presentation, a project, or even meeting new people, I think of Lucy Gray and the way she held onto her identity in the face of fear. I try to do the same. I might not succeed every time, and sometimes, I might even overthink if I'm doing too much or bothering people. But I’ve learned that authenticity isn’t just about self-expression, it’s about resilience, because when you stay true to yourself, even in the hardest moments, the odds really do start to turn in your favor.