Discovering the Resilience within Me by Victoria

Discovering the Resilience within Me by Victoria - January 2026 Scholarship Essay

Starting college and a new chapter of your life can be difficult. As I approached the beginning of my freshman year of college, I felt a looming anxiety about this next piece of my life. This fear of change was amplified on a sunny day that August where I suffered an injury to my knee that required surgery within the next month. I had suffered smaller dislocations for the past few years, but this particular dislocation couldn't be repaired without surgery and extensive physical therapy. All of the sudden, everything changed even more. Not only was I starting college, but I was also doing so at the disadvantage of having to get surgery two weeks into the semester. I found myself feeling hopeless, wondering how I was ever going to handle all of this.

I started my semester somewhat smoothly, trying to get acclimated, but ultimately knowing that it would be halted by my surgery and recovery time. The first few weeks after my surgery were the hardest. I was in so much pain while also not being able to do simple things like walk to the bathroom or showering without some sort of assistance. It felt like I had to relearn how to function like a normal human. I had to learn to walk with crunches, and eventually walking without them, and I would work in physical therapy on simply moving my knee the way I used to. There was a period of time where I couldn't lift my leg up on its own and I just felt so helpless. I worked on this a lot and the first time I was able to lift my leg up on my own, I cried tears of relief. There were times where I honestly didn't know if I'd be able to manage everything. I couldn't do some of the things that I loved and my next chapter in life felt tainted before it even fully began. Despite the struggle and doubts, I persevered and I came out a stronger version of myself. I was able to acclimate back into school, performing well in classes and managing my time and energy well despite the disadvantage of walking around with a brace and experiencing frequent pain. What I learned about myself is that I am resilient. I experienced a time where I felt totally disrupted and scared, but I was able to power through and find myself again.

I'll never entirely be the person I was before and there are some things I won't be able to do the same because of my injury. I still experience pain and the fear of another injury, however, I am better off now because I know my strength. This experience was tough, but it made me believe in myself, and for that I am always grateful. Now I know to never let my head or my doubts get in the way of myself. I am resilient, and that's something I will always try to carry with me.