Hello again lovely readers!
I'm sure this title has you enticed in some fashion. The idea of rejection may be a sore point for some, or an inexperienced reality for others.
I currently am on the former. For about 7 months, I spent time preparing, selecting, and submitting applications for Ph.D. programs in clinical psychology. The month of February has been interview/rejection month. As it stands, I have yet to receive an interview for a Ph.D. position and it's likely I will need to reapply in a year or two. Though I still have not heard back from my #1 and #4, I'm preparing for the worst.
I must confess, I am one of those individuals who has always made herself busy by doing everything possible in the present to prepare for the future. And though I have incredible letters of rec and years of research experience, there is still someone out there who has done more than me.
As reality of rejection sets in, I find myself hating the question, "What are you doing after graduation?" So much so that I've decided to leave the state for an extended weekend (my version of spring break). After I booked my flight, I felt a bit of clarity.
I am not one who believes everything happens for a reason, but I do believe we control how we handle situations. So my current plan is to take time and think if I would like to A) go to an MA program, B) do more research, or C) do different clinical work. My support system here at DU has been INCREDIBLE! I will even be presenting Plan B possibilities to my clinical lab so they can weigh in opinions, offer advice, etc.
By no means have I been handling this in the most graceful of ways, but rejection is part of the process. I would rather be rejected and keep trying than to know I had a chance at following my passion and never took it.
What I'm trying to say, is that we all feel some bit of pain. Failure is part of the game. It's how you challenge that failure that separates you from just another passive observer of your life.
_______________________________________
For those of you interested in weighing opinions on what I should do next, see the below options I have come up with thus far:
1) MA Program at Columbia, NYU, or Pepperdine
2) Research with one of the mentors I applied to work with
3) Apply to work in Etkin Lab @ Stanford (http://etkinlab.stanford.edu/)
4) Apply to work on different research projects with PTSD that the Dept. of Defense or NIH is funding
5) Work in the Congo with human trafficking victims
6) Work in a clinical setting, or organization, with human trafficking victims
7) Apply for an International Rescue Committee Position
Thoughts? Post a comment!