The Fallacy of Staying Silent by Sarah

The Fallacy of Staying Silent by Sarah - May 2026 Scholarship Essay

Silence used to feel safer than speaking up. Whether in my extracurriculars or classes, I was more comfortable staying silent, content with just listening, and afraid to reveal my weaknesses.

Freshman year was when I first noticed the pitfalls of silence. At a meet, I stood in awkward silence while the other teams were screaming and going wild for members in the water. That year, we placed second-to-last, and even though I qualified for CIF, I felt strangely disappointed because I didn’t feel like a part of a team. The next season, I made an uncomfortable decision. I walked up to the turn wall, took a deep breath, and shouted encouragement for my teammate in the pool. As teammates joined me, the chaotic cheering grew louder and eventually developed into group lunches, movie days, and friendships. We became more comfortable asking for help and pushing each other in practice. That season, as I heard my teammates' screams muffled beneath the water, I broke my personal record and placed fourth in my heat at the state meet. Those unwavering shouts of support made a difference.

Still, speaking up didn’t come naturally to me. The biggest challenge I faced was asking for help in class because it felt like an admission of incompetence. In Honors Chemistry, when concepts became more complex, my fears turned me into a fish out of water. No matter how long I stared at my notes, stoichiometry and limiting reagents refused to make sense. Terrified to ask for help, I was embarrassed, frustrated, and stuck. However, the greater fear of failing forced me to act. It didn’t go well at first because simply saying “I don’t understand” was not enough. Communication requires critical thinking to formulate the right questions for each context. I learned to identify my struggles, explain my goals, and develop an action plan. Rather than asking my teacher to re-explain the whole stoichiometry question, I identified and asked for help on a specific step. It worked. As I continued to speak up and ask more deliberate questions, my test scores improved, and at the end of the semester, my grade rose from an F to a B. It was at that point that I truly understood what it meant to communicate actively and purposefully.

This understanding changed more than my academics; it transformed my relationship with language and connections. Ever since I started learning English, I had spoken Chinese less, creating this seemingly ever-growing gap between my family and me. Thus, I grasped the opportunity to take Mandarin in high school. Beyond learning characters and grammar in class, every weekend was a different learning experience. My mom and I might go to a Chinese supermarket to read characters, or we would simply converse in Mandarin. As we spoke about anything and everything, my Mandarin improved alongside our relationship. The language that was a great wall at one point was becoming a bridge. That growth continued at the Huntington Library where I participated in the multilingual storytelling event. Anxious but eager, I chose a Chinese children’s book, practiced, and read it without any hiccups, a testament to my progress. Surprisingly, it also led to conversations with parents, making me realize how language and sincere communication can open connections among strangers.

Whether it’s in classrooms, at the pools, or in public spaces, I’ve come to realize that my voice, when I use it purposefully, can make a difference for myself and for others. Although silence may be easier, thoughtfully speaking up is more impactful. As I pursue a physical therapy career, I will continue to ask meaningful questions in order to create individualized plans and build trust through communication. While there are still times of nervousness and hesitation when it comes to speaking up, I remember all the progress I’ve made and will continue to make.