Wall of Rejection would help students bond

January 22, 2013 — by Evaline Ju and Ashwini Velchamy
wallcartoon
Photo by Carol Suh

Gut-wrenching sobs, tear-stained faces, endless moping. As seniors finish the last of their college applications, colleges have already begun sending acceptances and rejections.

 

Gut-wrenching sobs, tear-stained faces, endless moping. As seniors finish the last of their college applications, colleges have already begun sending acceptances and rejections.

Some students will inevitably be disappointed. To combat this, the ASB has planned a wall where students can post their rejections. The idea is that instead of bemoaning rejections, students would celebrate them as just another part of life.

In fact, the Wall of Rejections sounds like a great idea. Not only would it comfort students during the stressful college admission season, the wall would also foster a stronger sense of school unity as students realize that they’re not alone. Of course, students will have the option to remove their names from their letters before submitting them to be put on the wall.

College rejections aren’t the end of the world, which seems like a rather obvious idea up until results start coming in. At that point, it’s almost inconceivable for seniors to consider rejections anything less than the apocalypse.

At one point or another, everyone faces rejection. And as with all rejections, people desire to be comforted. The Wall of Rejections is like that invisible friend knocking on your door, armed with five buckets of ice cream, ready to listen and tell you that everything will turn out fine in the end.

Sometimes the reassurances from another person are simply not enough. It’s hard to listen to that friend who got into the top Ivy League school or that classmate who laughs and asks why everyone cares so much about college decisions. That’s where the Wall comes in, to provide a more neutral view of rejection — something that happens to everyone, and something that you will get through.

Although publicizing rejection letters may on the surface level seem to emit a negative vibe — “We sincerely regret to inform you…”, “I recognize this will come as a disappointment to you” — the Wall would actually serve to encourage positivity among students. And by posting their letters on the wall — where hundreds of other students have already done the same — they’d be able to move past the rejection.

College rejections are tough. There’s no doubt about it. But they’re also a part of life. So why wallow in solitude when you can take part in the group hug that is the Wall of Rejection?

And if you want to truly show the colleges that you’re strong enough to move past a rejection, post your letter on the Wall and send them a picture. We’re sure they’d love that. Good luck!

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