Sincerely, Sara: How to Deal with Rejection

By Sara Kaufman

Edited by Taylor Morgan

Dear Reader,

Have you had to deal with rejection recently? It feels especially common on college campuses. We all feel we have to compete for professors' attention, to get into a club, during sorority recruitment and more. Yet as much as we want to, we do not always “win” in these situations. Everyone has had to deal with rejection at some point in their lives, no matter the extremes. While it is impossible to measure the frequency of rejection, it is a common, usually painful, human experience that can serve as a learning opportunity rather than a reflection of personal failure. 

I have personally experienced rejection multiple times, in so many different situations. I did not make a musical I really wanted to be in, or I got a bad test back in math and felt almost “rejected by math”. While in the moment it can be difficult to get over the hump of rejection, there are a lot of strategies that can help you get through the rejection process and come out with new knowledge of yourself afterwards.

Photography by Gabby Wehrman, Styled by Paulina Adams and Abby Thompson

The first thing I always do when I face rejection is acknowledge how I feel about the situation. Whether it be relieved or devastated, it's important to allow yourself to feel those emotions and attempt to label them. If you suppress how you feel about the situation, it can just worsen it in the long run. 

I would also try to avoid isolating yourself, as you will most likely just get stuck in your thoughts. Reach out to your friends, family and overall support system. There are people in your life who are willing to listen to you rant and will be there for you. They will help to remind you if you are feeling negatively about yourself, that you are worth something and you have so much more to give.

The biggest thing I believe is that everything happens for a reason, and it will all work out in the end. No matter how devastated you are, just know that you will grow through the hard times and come out stronger on the other side. Rejection is just redirection. You can change the narrative and mindset on how you look at rejection. Looking back, I am grateful for the rejections that once hurt me, because they have led me to exactly where I need to be. Trust that even when it does not make sense now, it will still unfold in your favor.

Sincerely,

Sara