Rejection is a fundamental part of life that can introduce itself as early on as elementary school. I still remember confessing my feelings to my fifth-grade crush and being brutally rejected, leading me to not talk to any of my classmates for several days while I slowly recovered (a true story). However, I feel like rejection stings more as you get older. As we gain more responsibility and autonomy, we are forced to put ourselves out there more often. To gain acceptance to things like internships and scholarships, we must put ourselves out there. And of course, confessing feelings to someone is something that many people continue to face as life goes on.
Rejection closely follows university students as they try to find their footing in the professional world, and being surrounded by like-minded students who apply for the same postings or programs makes the possibility of rejection even more likely. Despite the all-too-common possibility of rejection, we hear about the success stories of young people in the media (young business owners, child actors, and high school students with extensive resumes) who have somehow easily managed to surpass the barriers of rejection. While I’m sure many success stories of youth are riddled with rejection, the mere telling of these stories is enough to make you feel like you’re at a roadblock. Somehow, it feels like it’s even more difficult to break the glass ceiling and outperform the competition. Though I have had difficulties in grappling with rejection, I am on the road to becoming more resilient in the face of it.
Rejection is the blinking sign that signals that it’s time to look elsewhere, that it’s not your path. Yes, it sucks, but how else are you supposed to learn about yourself and reflect? Without undergoing any form of rejection, everyone would be making their way through life completely unsure of who they are and of the path that they are currently on. I also think it’s important to keep in mind that if you are denied an opportunity now, that doesn’t mean that you can’t get that opportunity later. Essentially, rejection sets the record straight and sometimes we need that kind of tough love. I like to think of rejection as a strict teacher who seriously challenges you when you’re in their class but ultimately leaves you with the knowledge and experience you need to move on to more demanding courses.
It’s important to remember that a confident person isn’t necessarily someone who gets every opportunity they want (that person doesn’t exist) but someone who can bounce back when something doesn’t work out. If you let rejection completely stop you in your tracks, then it simply leaves you stuck in the same place, unchanging.
Here’s an exercise: think of who you were in your first year and then think of who you are now. Think of the challenges you overcame. Now ask yourself if those challenges have taught you something you needed to know, and the answer will probably be ‘yes’.