Everyone wants to be successful. Whether it’s getting an internship, a job, getting good grades, getting into a good school, or just being able to bring home tons of money, almost everyone wants to be successful, but what happens after you are rejected?
When I first started my freshman year, my objective was to go to class, have good grades, and repeat. That was until I saw my peers starting to get different opportunities outside of the Delaware State walls. I didn’t realize how important it was to network and outsource outside of campus, but when I started applying, it felt like it was too late.
Most applications closed within a week for various conferences and internships, and I didn’t have enough time to gather the requirements to complete them. Then, for the conferences and internships I applied for, they said I didn’t meet the requirements. After many rejections, I knew I needed to have some sort of opportunity over the summer, whether it was a program or an internship.
While in high school, I took Mandarin as my language course. Little did I know that those lessons would soon open up opportunities for me in college. Thankfully, during my freshman year, when I was taking Mandarin as my language course, I was offered a free trip to China for about two weeks, and those were some of the best two weeks of my summer. I was able to meet with different partners that Delaware State has with universities in China. Along with being able to practice my Mandarin and learn more about the Chinese culture as a whole.
In conclusion, rejection is just redirection to something even better. Going to China was my first time outside of the country, and I wouldn6t trade that experience for anything. As long as you network with your professors and use the skills you have acquired along the way, there will always be an opportunity for you.