By James Chen, Class of 2012<\/p>\n
To those who\u2019ve been admitted into the college of their dreams, congratulations. It must be a wonderful thing to know that a lifetime of hard work has such palpable rewards; that the long nights, caffeine, and stress have all finally paid off; and that for the first time in a while, you can take a break. But understand that you are the exception to the rule; most do not run the gauntlet and escape unscathed. I address this to the unlucky majority, not as a consolation, but merely as commentary.<\/p>\n
This is for the rejects.<\/p>\n
I write this to you as reject myself. After refreshing the application status webpage for several hours, I was finally informed that I did not, in fact, make it into Carnegie Mellon University. The small words \u201cNot Admitted\u201d held a surprising weight behind them, invalidating all effort put into the application with frightening efficiency.<\/p>\n
The rejection letter itself was written with an eloquence that betrays the almost industrial layout of Carnegie Mellon\u2019s application status website. Signed by the CMU Director of Admission, the letter was so well written, that I almost felt okay about getting rejected.<\/p>\n
But then again, I\u2019m not one to sugarcoat. Calling my parents to tell them that I had gotten rejected was unpleasant. Telling friends that I was rejected was even worse, my deliberately blank expression and shrugs belying the complexity of my emotions. Answering the question, \u201cDid you get in?\u201d was and still is particularly difficult, because not only does it feel like I\u2019d disappointed myself, but that I\u2019d disappointed others as well. Words of comfort are remarkably feeble against the weight of sunken hopes. But perhaps worse than the feeling of disappointment, is the feeling of regret.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ll agree that it\u2019s completely natural to feel disappointed upon rejection, but I also maintain that regret is the most useless of emotions. With disappointment, I can learn. With frustration, I can reevaluate my own strengths and objectives. But regret? Nothing more than a stagnant depression and an unwillingness to move on can come of regret.<\/p>\n
I know that if I\u2019d worked harder, then I most likely would\u2019ve gotten into Carnegie Mellon University. And that\u2019s a lesson that I\u2019ll remember when I\u2019m applying to grad school. But I don\u2019t think that I\u2019d be any happier if I worked harder. If I\u2019d worked harder and taken on more stress, then I\u2019d probably just be just as disappointed in my college admissions, the only difference being that I\u2019d be disappointed in my rejection from Harvard, Yale, or Princeton, and not Carnegie Mellon.<\/p>\n
To clarify, I\u2019m not advocating laziness. What I am advocating is an understanding of your own goals, and a willingness to not be regretful. Do not regret the procrastination. Do not regret the friends you\u2019ve made. Do not regret the choices you\u2019ve made. Know that the time that you enjoy wasting, is not wasted. Understand that the whole point of education and life in the long run is to be happy, and that the unhappy pursuit of happiness is folly.<\/p>\n
I do not regret what has happened; you shouldn\u2019t either.<\/p>\n
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