Earlier this week the Internet was ablaze with students using the hashtag #JHU2019 after hundreds of students who had been rejected from Johns Hopkins University received emails from the university that they should "Embrace The Yes" the tagline that the university had been using to alert students that they had been accepted. What caused excitement for some students led to confusion for others who now toiled with the idea had they really been accepted or had they been rejected?
After going back and forth on rather they had been rejected or accepted John Hopkins released a statement notifying students that it was a "technical mistake" and they apologized for the confusion and that was it. Many students were hurt and betrayed while others had no idea how to feel. As I placed myself in the shoes of the rejected students I realized that this one incident has taught me practically everything we all need to know about rejection:
Life Goes On. Everyone has heard this time and time again but it really is true, life does goes on. Despite the rejection these students and even we as people are faced with life keeps going. There is no pause button on life just because you are hurt, disappointed or heartbroken.
No One Cares More About Your Feelings Than You Do.This is by far one of the toughest lessons you will ever learn in life. Sure there are people who genuinely care about you but there is no one in the world who cares more about your feelings than you do. Students who had applied to Johns Hopkins received an apology but many were outraged because they did not receive phone calls and were hurt that they would never receive anything more than a written note because they did not want to inflict more pain on the students that had already been on an emotional roller coaster.
Everyone Makes Mistakes. As crazy as it may sound everyone makes mistakes. Some mistakes are definitely bigger than others but human errors occur and we can either allow those mistakes to make us better or make us bitter.
If It Didn't Kill You It Will Make You Stronger. There is a lesson in every single rejection. It might hurt. It might not feel good. It might feel downright ugly but if it did not kill you it will make you stronger.
This Is Not The End Of The World. The most interesting story I read was from one student who discussed how Johns Hopkins was his dream school and after being rejected he refused to focus on the rejection but instead focus on his plan b. He realized what many of us fell to realize in the midst of rejection and that is that this is not the end of the world.
Life Will Throw You Lemons. When life throws you lemons(and it will) make kool-aid and leave the world wondering how in the world you did it.