"Never Alone" by Synia

"Never Alone" by Synia - August 2026 Scholarship Essay

In fall 2021, I attended my first therapy session, and I remember feeling so relieved. Months before, I wished for this: an outlet for my emotions and a friendly stranger to help navigate them. And to my surprise, in this therapy session, there were others. Others l who could not see the light in life and fell into the darkness as if it were a safety net. Before, I thought I was alone in how I felt, and that no one could truly understand what it meant to be a depressed teenager with no will to live. But there were others. Suddenly, I realized I was never alone at all. My therapist taught me that there is nothing wrong with reaching out for help and seeking out those who could relate to you.

After three months of group therapy and another three months of individual therapy, I slowly applied my therapist’s words to my life. Before this experience, I was afraid to ask for help, even with a school assignment. Everything I did, I had to go through myself. Being in a school where everyone was a gifted kid brought imposter syndrome, and if I didn’t understand a topic, I did not deserve to be there. That feeling developed outside the classroom as well, with family and friends. I felt as if I did not belong anywhere.

But here were the words of a therapist, sharing that I no longer have to go through anything alone. I went to school, and I asked questions. I opened up my shell and made new friends who understood me more than I thought. I spoke up even when no one else did in class and in extracurriculars and shared my ideas with my school community.

After four years, I truly believe I am a part of my school’s community, and I have people who support me. As Vice President of Brooks God’s Ambassadors Club, I plan to seek more members, apply what I’ve learned from therapy, and rely on the team around me to accomplish this goal. For you are never alone, and it is never too late to ask for help.