By Delaney Smith
College is your first taste of adulthood while also being your last breath of childhood. As a result, college is a pivotal time for learning about yourself, and along with that, comes inevitable “screw ups.” If you’re anything like me, you don’t make mistakes very often and when you do, you dwell on them. You overthink them. It’s the end of your world.
Ironically, college is the perfect time to make mistakes and the perfect place for you to learn from them.
Accept & Self Reflect:
If you find yourself overthinking a mistake, it is of utmost importance to forgive yourself in order to bounce back. First, acknowledge that you did something wrong. Accepting you were incorrect or unethical will open the opportunity to grow. Then, you should understand why you made the mistake and try to improve in that area. For example, if you came off as rude to a friend, consider changing your tone of voice for when you speak to them in the future. Reflecting on your decisions and actions will help you realize the right ways as a result. Overall, mistakes allow us to gain new perspectives and develop new skills, so be thankful for the opportunity to open your mind and work on yourself.
Find Ways to Not Repeat Your Mistake
Confronting others and having awkward conversations may be difficult for some. However, to move on from a mistake, saying sorry to the one you did wrong or saying sorry to yourself will allow your conscious to rest. While you may believe confronting others may make the situation worse, not confronting them will make the situation stay the same. To lessen conflict, stay open minded and clear up any miscommunication that may have led to the mistake. After you clear things up, bettering yourself will help you to not repeat your mistake. Some things you can do include ranting in a journal, going to therapy, exercising, or calling someone you love.
Remember all the Good you Have Done
Mistakes often stem from normal human emotions. Remember that you made a mistake, but you are not defined by your mistake. In fact, mistakes are necessary for revealing our blind flaws. Once those flaws are revealed and accepted, you can take steps to eliminate them. Not all life lessons come from a positive experience, and it is inescapable that mistakes will often reveal blessings in disguise. If you believe you are a bad person because you made one mistake, remember a compliment you have received or take note of the steps you have done to correct your mistake such as apologizing.
Ultimately, once you do something, it can’t be reversed. Everyone makes mistakes and the truest people in your life will love you unconditionally, despite the wrong you did. That being the case, it is crucial that you master the skill of moving forward after a mistake while also bettering yourself in the process.