It is rather daunting and surprising how many people come up to me and say, “Kylie, you are like involved in like so much at UGA. How do you like do it? You get everything you want.”(as a side note, people really do use the word like so much. Try yourself one day and see how many times you say it).
The truth is you are not going to get everything you want and this has been a hard concept for me to grasp. I consider myself to be a pretty good human being who is doing some great things here at UGA and have BIG dreams and aspirations that I plan on fulfilling. If I cannot accept rejection now, then there is no possible way I will be able to accept the amount of rejection I forsee I will receive because of how huge and large my dreams are.
Over Thanksgiving Break, I went back to my growing small town but it is still fairly small. Someone asked me, “Now, What do you want to do with your life?”. I looked to them and said, “I am going to change the world. My journey begins in Cape Town, South Africa and I want to the mend the post Apartheid Education System. ” They said, “Now, Kylie, let’s be realistic. You think, you…you small town girl with blonde hair from Douglasville GA can fix something for those “tribal” people in Africa? Honey, I believe in you but that might be impossible.”
It was then I realized that rejection can come in many forms, one of them being from the people who think your dreams are too big. I do believe that some dreams can be too big but if they are realistic then they can never be too big. It all depends on your perspective and experience. Seeing as how I have been to South Africa, worked with the very children I want to change the system for, and made many connections for when I go back, I see my dreams as reasonable. She, however, has never been out of the state of Georgia and thinks Africa is a bunch of naked people running around in war paint.
In situations like that, you have to take the rejection and be humble. As leaders evolve in their leadership capabilities, they start to develop a conscious of when it is a good point to defend their cause and personal stance. Luckily, I remained calm and humble when I really just wanted to tear into her … well, read between the lines.
Continuing on…
UGA is a very competitive campus and contrary to what most believe, I have gotten rejected from positions I thought I was very qualified for and passionate about. But, hey, what can ya do? Keep moving and Finish the Drill. At certain points in a college students career, I believe it is imperative to take a step back away from academics, involvement, and real world “adult” things and reflect on who exactly they are as human beings in this crazy changing society. Wake up world and more specifically my generation. We are in a generation shift and heading into a black hole if we do not start reexamining and getting to know our trueselves . Think about how much you are on either your cell phone, Facebook, your iPOD(I am very guilty. Sorry. I would rather lose my cell phone over my ipod…anyday), and computer. Literally, no exaggeration, probably ¾ of the day. All of this technology has become a normality in our lives and it is taking away from the personal interactions between human beings that really brings true happiness and beauty to our lives. Technology needs to be there to facilitate, not prohibit.
Words of advice for my generation based on my experiences of Rejection and my epiphany of how much technology runs our lives:
· Clean up your facebook. “Drunk pictures” are not going to land you that job. Facebook is your own personal PR page.
· Think not only short term but LONG TERM too. I think many people missed that 10 missed quizzes and two failed relationships ago.
· If you want to express your feelings, talk to someone. If you are bad with verbalizing them, write a letter. Do not send a 5 page text that goes in increments and half the time people do not understand it. Loses so much of its personal intentions.
· UGA is hard. Get a helmet.
· Make sure the helmet is made of steel.
· Rejection is not a onetime thing, it is definitely a lifetime occurrence we will all continue to build and learn from.
· Cliché but so true: EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON. Keep telling yourself that everyday.
· Clean up your facebook. “Drunk pictures” are not going to land you that job. Facebook is your own personal PR page.
· Think not only short term but LONG TERM too. I think many people missed that 10 missed quizzes and two failed relationships ago.
· If you want to express your feelings, talk to someone. If you are bad with verbalizing them, write a letter. Do not send a 5 page text that goes in increments and half the time people do not understand it. Loses so much of its personal intentions.
· UGA is hard. Get a helmet.
· Make sure the helmet is made of steel.
· Rejection is not a onetime thing, it is definitely a lifetime occurrence we will all continue to build and learn from.
· Cliché but so true: EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON. Keep telling yourself that everyday.
Signing off, do not reject studying for finals...
Kylie Dee
