There are infinite possibilities in the world and each person can only take advantage of a small fraction of them. "The world is your oyster" is a phrase people often use to talk about opportunity. Though I have never understood why oysters were related to the opportunities one has, I can appreciate its message. "When one door closes, another one opens": this saying is potentially one of the most used and most difficult to accept. It is easy to accept that there are thousands of opportunities of which one can take advantage; but it is much harder to accept that if one opportunity does not work or is no longer possible, another one will be eventually.
My freshman year is coming to a close. I only have about half a semester left and I have affectionately termed the midpoint of the spring semester as "application season". Applications for Resident Advisor, Ambassador positions, Writing Fellows, Peer Advocates, etc. all occur at this time. For each position, an application, interview, and sometimes a group process is needed for that final decision to be made. The first application of this season is for the Resident Advisor (RA) position. I applied, as did some of my friends, and four freshmen were selected to be RAs next year. I was not one of them. One of my friends was selected and I am so happy for him, but in the back of my mind rests this nagging thought "why him and not me?". Everyone said that I was the "perfect candidate", did I do something wrong? What more could I have done? Why not me?
Fast forward to today, and I will be a UC Ambassador and a Writing Fellow next year. However, I was so unsure of myself applying. I was excited to learn about and really wanted to be chosen for both positions, but in the back of my mind was that nagging voice you weren't "good enough" to be an RA, why these positions? I applied, interviewed as well as I could (which is very nerve-wracking because interviews and first impressions are the most challenging parts of an application) and received congratulatory emails. I was ecstatic, over the moon, on top of the world, and a huge feeling of relief and gratitude washed over me.
"When one door closes, another one opens". I do not know if I would have applied to be an UC ambassador or a Writing Fellow if I had gotten the RA position. I hope that I would have because these are incredible opportunities that I have been given. After an opportunity passes, a job is lost, a position is not received, a door closes, and it can be hard to come back from having a door slammed (or even gently shut) in your face. It can shock you, shake your nerves and your resolve. The most challenging thing to do after having a door shut in your face is to go and knock on the next one. I wanted to show you, through my own story, that fear or nerves should never stop you from knocking on that next door. You never know what opportunities lay behind it, and maybe that door is shut too. Try a window, break down a wall, but never stop fighting. Some opportunities land in your lap and others require a fight. Qui vivra verra . "He/she who lives, will see". In order to see, you have to live, you have to look and keep an open mind to whatever comes your way. Giving up and shutting down are never options because not looking for opportunities is like not living. Never be afraid to live your life, push boundaries, and make your own opportunities. Next time a door closes, break down a wall.
