Conquering Rejection

At the start of my sophomore year, I thought I had it made. I was ready to apply for a chair position in SWE Benefitting THON. I had been on a THON committee the previous year and was involved with SWE. I loved THON and was so excited to make a difference in our organization. I spent hours on my application, making sure it was perfect. I had my friends read over it and give me advice. Then, just a few days later I got an email saying that I didn’t get the position. I was completely crushed. In that moment, it felt like all of my plans were ruined. I had this sort of timeline in SWE: Sophomore Year – THON chair, Junior Year – THON director, and Senior Year – Secretary. In one email it felt like that was gone.

At that point I had two options, either let go of an organization I wouldn’t get anywhere in or continue to participate in something I loved. Even though I was hurt, I decided to continue going to SWE Benefitting THON meetings and events. I spent a lot of my time with the organization and eventually became the most active member. Then the time came for director applications. Even though I wasn’t even sure if I had a chance, I applied. I again spent hours on my application and preparing for my interview. I sought advice from current directors and officers. Amazingly, I got the position. Even months after getting the call, I’m still so happy when I talk about or even think about being in this position.

Throughout your life, there will always be things you apply for that you don’t get. It’s especially hard when you need that first position in order to get further into an organization or company. If you are rejected, you’ll have two choices: give up or persevere. If it is something you truly love and want, you should never give up on yourself. Not getting a position doesn’t mean you aren’t right for the position. It could mean someone else was just a little more qualified or the person choosing picked someone they knew a little better. There are so many reasons you might not a get a position and not all of them are your fault. The important thing you should always do is ask why you didn’t get the position. Use that information to make changes and grow so you can get it the next time.

If I had gotten the chair position my sophomore year, I don’t think I’d be where I am now. I never would have learned the time and commitment I needed to make in order to obtain the positions I wanted. Now, I’m actually glad I didn’t get the chair position, because it got me to where I am now. Rejection won’t always make you happy at first, but it will always open doors or mold you in a way you never thought of before. No matter what happens, believe in yourself and push yourself and you’ll end up happy and where you belong. 

Elizabeth Gasparich is a junior majoring in Biomedical Engineering and is a Mentor for WEPO'16!