At some point in all of our lives, we will be forced to change directions and take a different path than the one we had planned on. For me, this type of redirection took place in my failing to make my college’s dance team. I began dancing later than most and attended a studio that did not offer competition classes, so I always felt behind when compared to other dancers my age. That being said, I knew that I loved the sport, and I was willing to put in as much effort as necessary. I had tried out for the University of Scranton’s dance team the spring semester before my freshman year and did not make it. While I was upset, I decided that I would try again in the fall and work on improving my skills throughout the summer.
For the next three months, I took private classes, envisioned doing the moves, and practiced at home in my free time. A few days after I moved into college, it was time for me to try out once again. It was a three-day tryout, and while I started out shaky by the third day, I felt confident. I waited all afternoon that Friday to receive the email saying whether I made it or not, and began to imagine how the next four years would look as a member of the team. Finally, the email came out, and I looked to see that once again I did not make the team. I didn’t expect to be as upset as I was, but the second round of rejection made it feel more final. I had already failed once at this goal, and despite practicing as much as I could, I was still unable to accomplish what I wanted to. It felt like this was a definite sign that I was not meant to be a part of this team.
A few weeks later, I now do not know if this is the case. Maybe I am meant to go through college without being on the dance team, or maybe one more audition is all it will take. This is a question that can only be answered with time, but I do know that for whatever reason, it was not meant to happen at this moment. While this scenario is very specific to my life, we all encounter circumstances where we must deal with failure or rejection. This could take place in the form of relationships, goals, or self-expectations, but regardless of the cause, we will all have to figure out a way to move forward with our lives despite uncertainty. While this seems daunting, it has helped to think of these experiences as redirection instead of rejection. So many aspects of our lives cannot be predicted or planned, and these are often the parts we value most. Once we recognize this, it becomes easier to accept when life does not go according to our own plans. This is an obstacle we will face in all stages of life, but especially while in college. During our four years of college, we have more opportunities than any other point in our lives, but with that comes more chances to fail. It can be difficult to continue trying when we feel defeated, but changing your perspective and choosing to be persistent is essential to feeling content and satisfied with your own life.