Self-Defense by Heldanna

Self-Defense by Heldanna - January 2023 Scholarship Essay

I believe self-defense classes should be mandatory in all schools, especially those that have any physical education requirement.

No matter our gender, in our dangerous world, I'm sure most people are acutely aware of the importance of knowing self-defense. My father specifically made sure I as a woman knew the massive variety of dangers that lurked in the outside world by making me watch true crime shows with him, from when I was very young into my adolescence.

Due to this distinctive approach that shaped my childhood, I consider myself very familiar with the frequency and stochasticity of crime. Anyone can be a victim at any time, with absolutely no warning. However, not everyone thinks about these things whenever they leave the house. Even while being someone who definitely does, before taking my course, I had absolutely no idea how to effectively protect myself from an aggressor, or how to neutralize the threat an ill-meaning person may pose to my safety. I would watch YouTube videos and read articles in a futile attempt to educate myself, but they were often too brief or reductive, and of course, could not answer my specific questions or provide personalized guidance.

My self-defense class changed all of that. Although they cannot cover every scenario, they can provide a baseline upon which people can build their own strategy for how to protect themselves in an unfortunate situation. One of the worst things someone can do in such a situation is panic. Self-defense classes are prior experience that can be drawn from to prevent the overwhelming and judgement-altering panic felt during unfamiliar and frightening circumstances. They also help provide comfort to people who may have anxiety, self-confidence issues, or even a mild form of agoraphobia. They help not only make students' bodies strong, but help them build a stronger, more self-assured, and more self-trusting mindset.

One of the most interesting things I learned in my course was how to be effective when physically retaliating against someone. My instructor told us students on the first day that psychologically, we as regular, kind people don't want to hurt others, so when under attack, some people unknowingly don't go all-out to defend themselves. Sometimes this is the reason people are successfully harmed - they hesitate to harm someone who doesn't hesitate to incapacitate them. My course helped us break this wall of hesitation, a very valuable and more-than-meets-the-eye lesson. We can't play it safe with our own safety, and survival should be our #1 priority when we are unsafe.

Finally, the camaraderie and collaboration that's fostered in these classes is so unrivaled in my opinion. My classmates and I were able to challenge each other, have deep discussions, and walk away with a unique bond. Growing stronger together, in multiple ways, helped bring us closer together. I feel like I learned more about my self-defense classmates than any other course of mine by far, and I even have a gym group with some of them.

I want as many students as possible nationwide to be able to experience this bond, and the mental and physical growth that can be achieved. I really hope self-defense classes become more popular in schools with time, so criminals and other wrongdoers can feel deterred from hurting others, and this country can become a less dangerous place for all.