Have you ever felt like no matter what you did, you weren’t acknowledged for your time and effort? Have you ever felt like your dedication and sacrifice went unnoticed? Have you ever had to put in more effort than others to get a similar result? If so, you may be an underdog: someone that is towards the bottom of the totem pole, looked upon as someone who will never succeed or show promise. If you are someone who has ever felt this way, let me tell you that in the end, you will prevail, whether people want to believe it or not.

I have been the underdog in many cases, as well, watching people view me as a waste of time and effort. I would find people intentionally ignoring me and becoming impatient with my learning process. It didn’t matter that I was learning or not, I was simply running the clock for them. It made me feel insecure about my abilities. I was constantly compared to others and was made to feel as though I would never pass the bar that was set for me. People have become physical with me, forcing me out of their way. I’ve been emotionally abused, receiving deadly glares and aggressive words. I was a magnet for mental assault. Nothing I attempted was ever good enough.

Now, as an adult, I see now… the power that underdogs have is tremendous. We are treated like dirt and are thrown to the side: out of sight, out of mind, but in the end, those who are abandoned by society and those who they look up to have fires burning in their souls. Although we are treated as the lowest of the low, our dedication and determination set us apart from the rest. We may be treated as lesser people sometimes, but one thing that we as underdogs must remember is that we are intelligent individuals. We are not stupid! We are not useless! We are not talentless! We do not deserve the treatment we are often given!

Underdogs are talented. It may take us longer to learn to do a task, at first, but once we have it, we’re solid. We’re doubted because people become impatient with us… because they don’t understand our process, but whose fault is that? We have the ability. We have the knowledge. All we need are people who can see who we truly are, but until then, we will continue to hold our own. We will continue to hold our heads high.

In the end, remember that you can succeed. I won several scholarships, was a member of National Honor Society, graduated high school, and am now in the college of my dreams. You may not always succeed, and there may be bumps in the road, but you can do it. If you ever feel like you can't do something or people make you believe you can't do something, just remember that in the end, you are an underdog and everyone loves an underdog story.