If you only saw my LinkedIn, you'd think everything worked out perfectly. It didn't. And that's okay. This is the part of the story I don't usually tell, because it's easier to share the wins. But I think the detours matter more.
If you only saw my LinkedIn, you'd think everything worked out perfectly. It didn't. And that's okay.
I've been rejected more times than I can count. Scholarships I spent weeks on. Internships I thought I was perfect for. Programs I was sure I'd get into.
Some rejections stung. Some I shrugged off. A few made me question whether I belonged in tech at all.
Here's what I learned: rejection is not a verdict on your worth. It's a data point. Sometimes it means you need to improve. Sometimes it means the timing was wrong. Sometimes it means nothing at all, just that there were 500 applicants and 5 spots.
The rejections that hurt the most taught me the most. They forced me to ask: What can I learn from this? What can I do differently? And sometimes: Is this even the right path for me?