"When I was applying to graduate schools many years ago, I received a rejection letter from a school that I had really wanted to go to. (This was back in the day before you checked your application status online—snail mail only.)
There must have been a glitch in their printing or mail-merge-whatever, because less than a week later, I got another letter from the same school—an identical rejection letter. Then, a few days later, I got yet another rejection letter from the same school. Three identical rejections.
Ok, ok—I get it! I'm not going!
Just last month, I read an Atlantic article by Rhaina Cohen called A Toast to All the Rejects about celebrating a “communal rejection collection.”
Yes, a spreadsheet to log rejections to share among colleagues and friends. It’s a great read and an excellent reminder that it is the attempts and not just the outcomes that are worth sharing. Because if we aren’t attempting new things, we aren’t growing.
I hope my rejection confession here helps you, the readers of 8&21, to know that there's community in our attempts and rejections. I'm glad to share this story when my graduate students are feeling embarrassed or frustrated by their rejections.
Because we are not alone. Let us celebrate all our attempts—whether they end in acceptances or rejections.
- Dr. Sarah Egan Warren, Co-Editor of 8&21, Sometimes-Rejected Applicant
The communal rejection collection
“I’ve seen how rejection stings less when it’s reframed as progress and handled communally…
When you see how much effort your fellow rejectees are putting in, it’s hard not to feel proud of their attempts, and motivated to put yourself out there more.”
“Just the other night, I had an evening Zoom call, which meant my kids got to watch a show. Everything was fine—until one of the characters on TV got a cookie.
My toddler started hollering, ‘Cookie, cookie!’, while pointing accusingly at the screen. A few seconds later, my eight year old joins in, yelling, ‘Mom? Eli wants a cookie! Moooooom!’
I'm trying to stay calm, handle my Zoom call, console my cookie-monster toddler, and thank my 8-year-old for his ‘help’—and for a second, I just had to laugh.
What a Tuesday.
It’s really important that, in my life, I have a community who understands what those Tuesdays feel like. And I think that's true for everyone, not just working parents.
- Dr. Sarah Glova, Co-Editor of 8&21, Imperfect Work-Family Juggler
The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by Rafael López
Community-building as
advocacy work
We asked Neferteri Strickland, military officer, cybertechnology strategist, and podcast host, “What does advocacy look like for you?”
“Often those I support are close to their work, still mapping out the details. I champion their causes by lending them my platforms and my perspective. We host community conversations, co-author grants, beta test ideas, and support the development of a minimum viable product.”
Neferteri Strickland is a cybertechnology strategist and the founder of Teachers&
Great job!
Way to take a pause and give 3 minutes to your practice of pursuing awesome
with this issue's theme. You rock!
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