Thoughts of Junie

By Junie| thoughts of junie

I’ll never forget the moment I opened that acceptance notice.

It was a quiet night, about 10pm, the kind that blends into all the others when you’re holding your breath and trying not to get your hopes up. My hands were trembling — not from excitement, but from fear. The kind of fear that takes root after years of being told you’re not enough.

“You’re not smart enough.”

“You won’t make it.”

“College isn’t for people like you.”

“You can’t even afford it.”

I’d heard those words in so many forms — from teachers with tight smiles, classmates who didn’t bother to hide their doubt, even from people I loved who thought they were protecting me by lowering my expectations. Even from my own mother, she didn’t believe in me. She didn’t believe that I could hold a double major or make it through college.

But still, I applied. Not because I was sure I’d get in — but because something deep inside of me still hoped I could change the narrative. I didn’t know how I’d afford it, or how I’d manage the pressure, but I knew I had to try.

So when I opened that email and saw the word “Congratulations,” I didn’t scream. I didn’t jump up and down. I just sat there, staring at the screen, letting the tears fall. It wasn’t just about getting into college. It was about rewriting a story I’d been handed long ago — one filled with doubt, limitation, and the idea that someone like me should know their place. This moment was mine. And it meant everything.

It meant a turning point in my life.

It meant that all those late nights studying — even when I didn’t understand the material right away — were worth it.

It meant that the sacrifices I made, the jobs I worked, the moments I felt like giving up but didn’t — they mattered.

It meant that belief — even the quiet, shaky kind — can be louder than a lifetime of doubt.

Getting into college didn’t fix everything. There were still financial challenges, long days, and more people who’d doubt me along the way. But that day taught me something I carry with me still:

I am capable of more than anyone ever imagined — even me.

To anyone who’s ever been told they can’t, I hope you know this: you don’t have to be born with confidence. You just have to be brave enough to try. And sometimes, that’s all it takes to prove them wrong.