If you're feeling overwhelmed by the immense number of finals that are quickly approaching, fear not. When college is your life, one test can feel like the difference between a future of continuous success or hopeless failure. The truth is, whether you do as well as you hope on finals or not, you're going to be okay. The world will keep on spinning, you'll still come back stronger than ever next semester, and you will still be that amazing person that got accepted to your university over numerous other applicants.
Chances are, every successful person has felt as though the sky was falling around them at one point in their life. These 15 people got through some pretty tough blows, and look at them now....
1. Jim Carrey
As a teenager, Carrey had to drop out of high school to support his family. His first time attempting stand up, he was booed off stage at a comedy club. Later, when he auditioned for the 1980-81 season of Saturday Night Live, he did not land the part.
2. Oprah Winfrey
After being hired by a local television station, Winfrey was fired by the producer for being considered "unfit for television." In 1983 however, she received a job hosting a low rated talk show that eventually gained ratings so high, it was renamed The Oprah Winfrey Show.
3. Walt Disney
Disney was fired from his job at a paper in 1919. His editor said he "lacked imagination and had no good ideas."
4. J.K. Rowling
As she was writing Harry Potter, Rowling struggled as a recently divorced single parent living off of government-assisted welfare. Upon the novel's completion, all 12 major publishers rejected the book.
5. Beyoncé Knowles-Carter
At 12 years old, Knowles had a major chance at stardom when appearing on the talent TV show, Star Search with her then all girls group, Girls Tyme. The group lost to a rock band named Skeleton Crew. The footage of her loss was later released on her music video, "Flawless".
6. Steve Jobs
Before being known for his incredible success developing the Apple company, Jobs was a college dropout, a fired tech executive from his own company, and a failed businessman who was unable to make his computer company, NeXT a success.
7. Ellen DeGeneres
After making the decision to create a coming out episode on her sitcom Ellen for herself and her character, DeGeneres's ratings plummeted and her show was canceled. For several years, she remained unemployed and was close to going broke.
8. Michael Jordan
In high school, Jordan tried out for the varsity basketball team. He was cut for not making the height requirement. His coach recommended that he play for the junior varsity team instead.
9. Selena Quintanilla
As a starting artist in the early 1980's, Quintanilla was often criticized and refused bookings at venues across Texas for attempting to perform Tejano music, which was considered a male dominated genre at the time.
10. Eminem
Mathers consecutively failed the 9th grade for three years before becoming a high school dropout. His early struggles with drugs and poverty caused him to attempt suicide before being saved by doctors.
11. Marilyn Monroe
Her first contract with Columbia Pictures ended after she was told that she was not pretty or talented enough to be an actress.
12. Tom Landry
A legendary coach who led the Dallas Cowboys through successful seasons and Super Bowl victory lost every single game during his first year as head coach in the NFL.
13. Taylor Swift
Losing the Grammy award for Album of the Year to Daft Punk in 2014 inspired Swift to write her next album 1989 which went on to win Best Music Video, Best Pop Vocal Album, and Album of the Year in 2016.
14. Jay-Z
Stemming from the housing projects of Brooklyn, NY, Carter learned to create doors for himself at an early age. Unable to get the attention of record labels, Carter recorded his own music and decided to create his own record label.
15. Albert Einstein
Einstein did not begin speaking until he was four years old and did not read until he was seven. Due to his slow progression, his teachers and parents believed he was mentally disabled. His parents were told he would "never amount to much."
Every failure or slow climb to success can lead to greatness. Don't be afraid to fall fellow college students; you can always rise again.
