Somewhere, I knew other applicants were probably preparing from quiet bedrooms in houses where people believed in them. They had polished resumes, guidance counselors, parents who proofread essays and drove them to interviews.
I had determination.
And by then, determination felt stronger than fear.
Weeks later, an email arrived while I was unlocking the café doors before dawn.
Subject: Sterling Scholars Application Update.
My hands shook so badly I nearly dropped my phone.
Congratulations. You have advanced to the finalist round.
I read it three times before it felt real.
That afternoon I rushed to Professor Cole’s office.
“I made it to finals,” I said.
He nodded once, as if he had been expecting exactly that. “Good. Now we prepare.”
The final round involved live interviews. A panel. Questions about leadership, resilience, long-term goals. Just reading the instructions made my chest tighten.
“What if I blow it?” I asked one day during practice.
Professor Cole folded his arms. “Failure isn’t being rejected. Failure is hiding who you are because you think it won’t be enough.”