Rice is competitive. And sometimes it can feel like you just can’t compete. I’ve had interviews for four positions — new student representative, Orientation Week peer academic advisor, year-long PAA, and O-Week advisor — and I’ve subsequently received four emails saying, “It’s not you, it’s the competitive applicant pool.” One of my best friends also applied for O-Week advisor and didn’t get it, so she went to talk to one of the O-Week coordinators to see what she could have done better. The answer: nothing.

Everyone at Rice is amazing. So when you try your best, chances are your best isn’t good enough, because someone else’s best is just a little bit better. But here’s why I’m not going to stop trying: Every time I fail, I become a little more resilient. Learning how to deal with failure is an important life skill, and what better time to master this skill than in college? Each interview is practice for the next, and even though the change may not be noticeable yet, I know I’m getting better. Job interviews are just around the corner, and the more interviews I have at Rice, the more prepared I’ll be for interviews beyond the hedges.

I’m a cognitive sciences and mathematical economic analysis double major. I'm a bit embarrassed to admit that I started studying math-econ because it sounds impressive. I was initially just a cognitive sciences major, something I found interesting and good for someone like me who has no idea what career they want to pursue; after all, cognitive science is a combination of five different fields. But when I told people my major, they almost always asked, “Pre-med?” and were surprised when I said no. And last semester, when I told people I was in a philosophy class, they would ask, “Oh, for distribution?” Responding, “No, for my major” made me feel like my major wasn’t good enough. So, I added math-econ.

I don’t regret this decision, but I'm ashamed of my reasons for making it because I’m perpetuating the stereotype that certain majors are better than others. The truth is that at a top university like Rice, a lot of amazing research and teaching takes place in the humanities and social sciences, so if you're majoring in one of these fields at a school as good as Rice University, it means you are on your way to doing amazing things, and that’s something to be proud of.

I’ll admit that I’ve also joined extracurriculars for the sole purpose of wanting to impress. In high school, extracurriculars were crucial for college applications; it seemed like the busier you were, the more likely you were to get into college. Now that I’m in college, it’s hard to leave this mindset behind. My future employers probably don’t care about what clubs I’m in, but having free time just feels wrong. Just a few months ago in high school, I was going to work after school, eating dinner, doing homework, going to hockey practice, getting back at midnight, showering, going to sleep, and waking up at five a.m. to finish my homework before school at 8:30. Now I don’t have a job, ice hockey isn’t a thing in Texas, and classes are only a few hours each day.

None of the clubs offered at Rice really interested me, but when all my friends joined clubs, the college application competitiveness that had rooted itself inside me in high school resurfaced, and I started participating in extracurriculars that I didn’t really enjoy just to have something to do. I quit when I realized just how ridiculous my reasons were. In college, extracurriculars don’t matter the way they did in high school, so comparing yourself to your busier friends is unnecessary and unhealthy. In fact, having too many extracurriculars is often overwhelming; a little free time is needed to stay sane. If you do join a club, it should be because that club really interests you. You shouldn't force yourself to do anything you don’t love doing — those days are over.

If there’s one thing you should take away from this article, it’s this: You got accepted to this amazing university for a reason, and you belong here just as much as the rest of us. If you don’t get a position you interviewed for, remember that it’s because everyone at your school is incredibly smart and capable — everyone at your school where you were accepted because you're incredibly smart and capable, too. Keep trying, because failing can be rewarding. If someone ever makes you feel like your major isn’t good enough, realize that they’re misinformed. Every major at a top university like Rice is good, and your major will take you places. And lastly, if you ever feel pressured into an extracurricular just for the sake of having an extracurricular, remember that there’s no such thing as too much free time anymore. Soon you’ll find something you love to do, but until then, having free time doesn’t make you any less impressive, or any less of a Rice student.