Never Settle by Merav

Never Settle by Merav - September 2022 Scholarship Essay

Sitting by myself at a restaurant. Trying out for a sports team. Applying for a new job. Pursuing new friendships. Complimenting a stranger. Every item on this list would have caused fear to bubble up inside me five years ago. Now, every item on this list I’ve done, checked off, and completed.

The semi-irrational thought I always had was, “What if someone judges me?” If you’ve ever had this same fear, you’ve probably been met with countless unhelpful responses along the lines of, “No one is worried about what you’re doing because they’re too focused on themself.”
I’m here to say that’s not always true.

There will always be people who berate and look down on you for being authentic. It’s inevitable and out of your control. What you can control is how you respond to this.

You can sit by yourself with the knowledge that you have the same right to be there as everyone else around you. You can try out for a team knowing that you are putting your best foot forward and trying your best. You can apply for a job and end up with new coworkers that end up more like friends and family. You can compliment a stranger knowing it might make someone's bad day just a little bit brighter.

Five years later, I love to sit alone. I played a varsity sport. I have applied and gotten multiple jobs. I have made dozens of new friends. I have complimented hundreds of strangers. I have stopped allowing fear to ever be the reason I don’t do something.