Caroline S.
Photography by Jessica Pentel
If you’re reading this, know that you can make a difference.
I had a bit of a rough start to my college career. Like so many students coming to UVA, I hit the ground running, trying to get involved and do all that I could to “make a difference” in my new community. However, I quickly discovered that that was going to be harder than I initially thought. Much harder, in fact. For the entirety of my first year and the better part of my second year, I was denied from almost every organization I applied for and every single position I interviewed for. All in all, I received twelve rejection letters in as many months. I was devastated. I took it personally. I kept wondering what it was about me that these organizations didn’t like. I felt so frustrated because all I wanted to do was give back to this community I was already starting to think of as home.
Looking back, as hard as that time in my life was, I wouldn’t change it for a second. Because even as I struggled to find my place, I found my people. People who loved and supported me through the rough days and celebrated all the good ones. Friends and family who reminded me that I am more than the sum of my achievements and failures. I think it can be easy to buy into UVA’s “more is more” mentality, especially when it comes to extracurricular involvements. But the truth is that there is no one UVA experience, and each person’s journey is uniquely theirs.
Our lives are only going to get more complicated from here on out, and I promise you in ten years, most people won’t remember which clubs we were in or how many academic accolades we received. But, if we’re lucky, they might remember our friendships and the impact we have on others. We only get four years at this incredible place, and the best legacy we can leave is one of kindness and empathy. I can’t tell you how many times a smile or a kind word completely changed my day for the better. Sometimes, it’s the smallest gestures that make the biggest difference.
The most important thing is to never stop trying. Sometimes things don’t work out on the first try (or, in my case, the second or the twelfth) but that doesn’t mean they never will. Find those things that make you happiest – causes, organizations, people – and pursue them to the fullest. Don’t take no for an answer.
So, if you’re reading this, be resilient, be kind, and know that you have a greater impact on the people you meet than you can possibly realize. Find the good in each day, and if you can’t find it, create it. Be fearless in your pursuits because they are worth it and, more importantly, the UVA community is better for having YOU in it!
Caroline S., University of Virginia
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To follow IfYoureReadingThis at UVA on Instagram, get in touch with our chapter, and learn about more resources available to University of Virginia students, visit our chapter’s homepage.
