We’ve all had to deal with rejection at some point in our lives. Whether it be rejection from a university, from a high-school crush, or from a job, they all hurt the same way. From experience, I can tell you that it’s disappointing. Rejection makes some people feel as if they are not good enough. As I’m writing this, I’m waiting to hear back from an internship, a summer job, and from a major to which I recently applied. Right now, I want nothing more than a sympathetic ear and some kind advice. In an attempt to calm my nerves, I’d like to offer some tips on how to deal if you do happen to be rejected.
Realize that it’s not that big of a deal. If we’re talking about being rejected by a crush, there are plenty of other fish in the sea. I know that it’s cheesy, but it’s true! No potential romance is worth getting upset over. The life you live is your own; do not base its value in terms of other people. The same thing goes for job and university applications. You are not your job or your education. You’re much more than that; and just because you’ve been rejected by one, does not mean that you’ve been rejected by all. Okay, so you didn’t get your dream job and you didn’t get into your dream college. So what? Dream a new dream.
Don’t get hung up on it. The worst thing you can do when you are rejected is to dwell on it. Sure, you can spend the night crying while listening to sad songs (I know I have), but where will that get you? Pick yourself back up and try again. The point of rejection is not to insult you or to put you down. The point is to help you grow and to teach you something about yourself. The more you learn from rejection and faster you move on from it, the better of you’ll be. So pack your backpack, start attending classes, forget the past and look at the future.
Lastly, be fearless. Obviously, that’s going to be tough for most people. But, rejection is definitely not the scariest thing in the world. Everyone has experienced rejection from a crush, a job, or a university, and we have all come out alive. Rejection, itself, has never killed anybody. Therefore, there’s no real reason to fear it. In the end, rejection will make you a better person. It can give you inspiration for the next thing you try to accomplish. It will make you appreciate the things you do have and the things you’ve already accomplished.
I hope these words have calmed you, somehow. Rejection is painful, but it helps you grow as a person. Take rejection for what it really is: a push in the right direction.
