“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” -Winston Churchill
Rejection Sucks
We fear rejection in so many aspects of our lives. Whether it’s rejection from a crush, a job, or a sports team, it leaves us feeling like we will never be good enough. Getting rejected from my top choice college made me want to give up on everything. When I opened up the rejection letter, a wave of mixed emotions rushed over me. I was upset, angry and confused. I received high grades in all of my classes, I participated in several extracurricular activities, I volunteered in my community, etc. I realized that compared to the other student candidates who had applied to the university, I just didn’t stand out enough.
For a long time, I thought that I would never have a successful future or be as successful as other students who received a seat at the university that so kindly rejected me. If only future me could turn back and tell myself that I couldn’t be more than wrong.
Rejection happens to all of us and is a pretty natural thing in life. If it hasn’t happened to you yet, it will and you are going to be left feeling pretty low. You may beat yourself up for it and actually believe that you are a failure, a loser, or just simply not good enough.
Here’s some advice for you:
Don’t.
What you need to know is that you are so much more than your academics, your rankings, and your numbers. Only you know who you are and only you know what you are actually capable of. If you get turned down from a job or even a university, look at it as a window of opportunity to show them that you were actually the perfect fit. See it as another way for you to create a stronger version of yourself.
If you really want something in life you need to work for it because believe it or not, nothing will be handed to you in the real world. I am a firm believer that I can do absolutely anything that I set my mind to. All I need is motivation and drive to achieve my most ambitious dreams and so do you.
Getting rejected from my top school was only a small bump in the road for me. Since then I have continued to study hard at my current university and have worked every day to create a better version of myself. I still have a lot of improvement to do, but one day I’ll be able to show everyone that ever doubted me that I am good enough.
