Re-reading rejection emails from internships like a breakup text.
RE-READING REJECTION EMAILS FROM INTERNSHIPS LIKE A BREAKUP TEXT.
Follow for more relatable Ivy insights.
We’ve all been there, haven't we? That familiar pang when an email pops up from a dream internship. You open it, scan for keywords, and then the gut punch: "While your qualifications are impressive..." The immediate response is often a quiet sigh, a quick delete. But sometimes, just sometimes, you find yourself scrolling back to that email a week later, then again, dissecting every polite turn of phrase. Was it something I said? Was my GPA not high enough? Did they just not see my potential?
It’s an oddly specific grief, isn't it? One that perhaps only those navigating the unique pressures of an Ivy League institution truly understand. It’s not just a rejection; it feels like a personal failure, a crack in the carefully constructed facade of future success we’re all expected to maintain. Every "no" isn't just a closed door; it’s a moment of questioning everything you've worked for, amplified by the silent competition that hums constantly in these hallowed halls.
We tell ourselves it’s fine, that it’s part of the process. Yet, privately, we comb through those digital dismissals like clues, searching for answers to a question that hits deeper than just career prospects. It’s the constant battle against imposter syndrome, the silent anxiety that perhaps you don't belong after all. This isn't something you explain over holiday breaks to friends from home. This is "only at an Ivy." It's a shared, unspoken burden. Let's talk about it.
View More