A Leap of Faith by Reem

A Leap of Faith by Reem - May 2026 Scholarship Essay

9 years, 20 days, 30 minutes, and 5 seconds. The long-awaited moment was here.

When I stepped into this familiar yet unseen environment, I was met with the smell of rubber and chalk. I purchased my shoes and chalk bag, then walked to a bench to put my shoes on. Wearing baggy jeans that dragged on the ground and a jersey that could barely fit me, along with very long gel-x nails, wasn’t the most optimal outfit, but here I was, ready to prove a point to myself, and maybe discover a new hobby.
Rock-climbing wasn’t something unfamiliar to me, as I first discovered it when I was 8 years old at a birthday party with my friend, and she encouraged me to try to climb the wall of rocks with her. I reluctantly agreed since I was unfamiliar with it. She went before me, and I watched her safely climb to the top, cheerfully smacking the big red button on the top. As I was going through the safety procedures, I kept hearing the button blaring in the background, a loud confirmation that the person reached the top.
Standing in front of the wall, all I could hear was my calm heartbeat and my breath. With a safety harness and some confidence, I started to ascend. After climbing a couple of rocks, I was a quarter of the way up the wall when I decided to look down. That was a mistake. Maybe that’s why they tell you to never look down in movies, because when I did, I started to freak out. For 8-year-old me, a few inches off the ground felt like being in the sky. My palms started to get sweaty, and my heartbeat started to accelerate. So I let go, slowly descending for maybe a minute, and quickly left. From that moment on, I never tried again, the fear burdening me.
What exactly changed between then and now? Did I miraculously solve my fear of heights? Well, the short answer is simple: a quote from Into the Spider-Verse stating, “That’s all it is, Miles. A leap of Faith.” It changed the way I saw that fear, and for a kid who's been obsessed with Spiderman as a child, it was revolutionary to see a character represent the thing I’ve struggled with the most: self-doubt. It gave me quiet reassurance and comfort, knowing someone who faced the same obstacle that I had and was able to face it.
Now I was here, with a sliver of self-confidence, staring at the wall before me. Before I could think myself out of it, I slapped chalk on my hands and started climbing the wall. Rock by rock, slowly, I was ascending. This time was slightly different; I was calmer and focused on the rocks ahead of me rather than looking at the ground behind me. Grabbing the last rock, I used the last of my energy to fling myself over to the top.
I made it.
Out of breath, I started to laugh. I was ecstatic, finally making it to the top after all these years. It was different than when I was climbing; then it was more fearful, but now it was empowering. I learned to have faith in myself, whether the path ahead feels uncertain or clearly mapped out. I didn’t fail this time because I believed I could do it, and that’s why I was standing on top. Since that day, I’ve been seeking out moments that scare me instead of avoiding them, whether it's public speaking or joining something new. Each one reminds me that courage grows when I trust myself. As I move forward, in college and beyond, I’ll carry that lesson with me. I mean, as Peter Parker said, it’s just a “leap of faith.”