Denial is easy, acceptance is hard, and finding a plan B, somewhere in between.

I’ve failed a lot. And I mean a lot. Symphonic Band took two auditions to get in, never fulfilling my dreams of becoming a Bethette after three years of hard work and three tiresome tryouts, and plenty of failed friendships. I never thought I would have one that would cut more deep, but it’s happened, and I’ll be telling you about it now.

Senior year is hard, I’ll be the first to admit that trying to determine what you want to do for the rest of your life can be tricky. It doesn’t help when every adult around you keeps festering the open wound that the next step in your life entails. “Have you heard back yet?”, “What do you want to do?”, “Where do you want to go?”, “You only applied to two schools?” If I had a penny for every time someone asked me one of the above questions, it seems as though I’d have enough pennies to pay for my first year at school.

What’s worse? When you apply to only two schools, not necessarily confident that you would get admitted to both, but only applying to the ones that you truly desire to go to, and then having heard back from one school . . . one rejection letter, and nothing else. And when you had heard back, and people ask if you’ve heard back, and you lie, “No, I haven’t.” You can’t admit the truth because in all honesty you have yet to come to terms with the decision. Letting people know that you failed at getting accepted into your dream school seems impossible.

A discussion with your parents and a bit of moping comes with a final conclusion.

It doesn’t matter what the decision was because if it’s really your dream school then you will find a way to get in. Whether it means applying as a transfer student after one year at another school or attending another school and completely loving it, you need to do what feels right because God has a plan for you. It might not be your plan but knowing that He has it all worked out for you helps ease the hurt felt immediately after the blow. Breathe, look up some inspirational quotes, and move forward and apply elsewhere, God will better use your talents elsewhere.