In a world where everything seemingly hinges on acceptance and success, how does one navigate rejection? Over the past semester, I have become very familiar with rejection, having applied to over 70 co-ops, rushing a sorority and attempting to survive the distinctive college social scene, all while balancing a large course load and my other daily activities.
Rejection gets old quickly, as does ceaseless positivity. As the co-op search continued and the job rejections rolled in, I also felt the pressure of failed sorority recruitment weighing heavily on my shoulders. I felt stuck in a dizzying cycle of interviewing, allowing myself an ounce of optimism only for the next rejection to hit my inbox. I found my outlook on both co-op and life in general slipping into one of pessimism and dejection.
The load of these emotions became an unbearable burden after a while, leading me to look outside of myself for support. Once I began confiding in my friends and family, I came to understand that some things are out of my control and that there is more to learn from rejections than acceptances.
Having others to lean on, unconditional support and companions to provide me with invaluable advice, I felt myself regaining confidence and passion. From the guidance of my loved ones, I concluded that, as long as you know that you’re doing your best, there’s no need to strive for the unattainable.
It’s easy to compare yourself to others, whether it’s doom-scrolling through LinkedIn announcements or obsessing over differences in achievements, but doing so is ultimately unproductive. Everyone’s path to success is different, and other peoples’ wins are not your losses.
So, how can you really cope with rejection? Lying in bed all day? Eating pint after pint of ice cream? Picking up and trying again? That’s up for interpretation. All I can tell you is, you’re not alone.
The people that love you will be by your side through thick and thin. When you need someone to lean on or to take a bit of the weight off of your shoulders, you always have people in your corner. It’s completely valid to feel discouraged, but how you recover from a setback says more about you than the rejection itself ever could. You gain more from hearing “no” than from hearing “yes.”
I’ve come to learn that rejection is the true path to personal growth. Can there even be growth without letdowns? Can there be improvement without failure? Acceptance is fleeting, but rejection is a journey. No truly successful individual can avoid dealing with failure. No one remembers the rejections in the end, but everyone sees your growth.