What an ugly word. It is a word we all are afraid of, one we try to avoid. But unfortunately, for some it is not avoidable.

Last year was my first year of high school. It was my new beginning and my fresh start. I wanted to be involved and make myself useful. I wanted to find a place where I belonged. The summer before school started, I planned out everything I was going to do; I was ready to take action.

Well that was hard to do when I got rejected from everything I tried. Congress, tennis, dance team, reflections. Everything I tried, I failed in. I felt like I was in a gigantic dark hole struggling to get out. And with every attempt of climbing upward, I slid down even further.

When I received the first letter that held my future, I had hope and faith that I could make it. Distress took over my body as I read the word “rejected”. After my second rejection, I began to despise this cruel word. Yet, hope and faith still lingered within me. After the third and fourth, I was used to it and I lost all the hope and faith that I started with.

Let’s just say my self esteem was not so great during that time. I felt like I was nothing, just plain and average. My parents told me I wasn’t. They said I was special. But they are my parents; it’s their job to say that. My decision was made; I was going to keep myself away from everything.

After a while, I got bored of the same routine every week. I realized that I had had enough of my given up attitude. I needed to change my life style. That sparked a light in my hole. I knew that my newly returned hope and faith would guide me out of my darkness. Being scared of rejection would not get me far in life.

A year later, I applied this to my life and I got out of my hole. I joined many new activities and finally felt like I found my place. Even with the occasion rejection, I know that it’s ok and that I can move on. I replaced the word rejection with retry. I believe that people should never let rejection bring them down and never give up hope.