As a senior in high school, it feels like everywhere I turn my classmates are driving themselves insane with the thought of being rejected from their dream school. Here’s the problem: as humans, we’re going to have to face rejection for our entire lives, whether its being rejected from a job, a study abroad program, or social rejection. So how should we move on and cope with these rejections healthily? I’ve compiled my most tried and true pieces of advice, so that next time you’re feeling down, you can pick yourself back up.
- Don’t take it personally
It sounds silly, but especially when it comes to college, the decision you receive is not a reflection of your character. Being rejected does not mean you are not worthy of success, but rather that the job or school you were applying to had an amazing pool of talented applicants, and it wasn’t meant to be. If someone is rejected, it likely means they weren’t the best fit and it would be in the best interest for both the applicant and institution for them to look elsewhere. Here’s the bottom line: don’t take the rejection to heart. The best thing you can do is work towards your next big goal.
- Have backups
When you’re in search of the school or job that is best for you, don’t limit yourself! It’s easy to think that backups would be a waste of time, but so many people have ended up at their backups and been beyond grateful that they kept an open mind. At the end of the day, your experience/education is what you make it to be. If you can mentally prepare yourself for the possibility of rejection by setting yourself up for success with backups, the idea won’t be so daunting. It sounds like common sense, but pick backups that you genuinely could see yourself being happy at, because life is unpredictable.
- Talk to people who have been in your shoes
If there’s a bright side to rejection, it’s that it’s not an original experience. We can all admit rejection is difficult, but you’re not the first one to face it. Use this to your advantage! If you have a friend, a sibling, a classmate, or someone else who you know has been in your shoes, ask them how they got through it. Acknowledging your feelings and being able to ask for help is the first step in the right decision, and being able to do this allows you to come out stronger on the other side and ready to take on the next big opportunity.
What you’ll likely hear from someone who has been rejected is similar to what was discussed earlier; rejection is not a reflection of you or your abilities, but rather a redirection towards where you belong most. As cliche as the phrase “rejection is redirection may be,” it rings true. Take the redirection as an opportunity to learn new hobbies, grow as a person, and figure out what your course of action is.
I’m not here to say that rejection isn’t a big deal, because it really can feel that way. With that said, if you work to prepare yourself for the idea of rejection with a healthy mindset and use it as a motive to grow, you’ll find that you come out the other side a better version of yourself.
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