intense spiral from university rejection

[Giggyy]

hi so I have struggled with anxiety and almost crippling self-doubt which has prevented me from doing a lot of things but I decided to put in an application for university early entry, the course had quite low standards and I thought I might get it... I didn't. My self-doubt has spiralled out of control because I really thought this was something I could do, now I've convinced myself that I can't do anything and it's hard to get out of this panic/catastrophizing mind. How can I deal with this and try and take control of my future? it's almost time for me to apply to more unis and figure out my life but I'm so panicked that ill be rejected from everything and ill be a failure, I haven't even looked at the pages for any other courses or even jobs because I'm so scared of more rejection 😞

any advice is appreciated thx

[Bob_22]

Hi Giggyy

Good morning. Thank you for posting and sharing your experience. I'm sorry to hear that you've been having feelings of rejection and that you have been knocked back from your ideal uni course. 

I think alot of us here can empathise when it comes to being rejected from the ideal uni degree, job or other type of position. Being rejected from something that we're really passionate about and had our hopes set on can be crushing and often (in my case results in grief). Due to my diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder I have lost a lot of qualifications and thus been rejected from multiple jobs and uni degrees. Just this year I've applied for several jobs for which I've been knocked back as well as my ideal degree (Masters of Social Work at WSU). It's crushing at the time but ultimately with enough patience, the right opportunities present themselves and can often lead to better outcomes than we had originally hoped. For me personally, I turned to Open University Australia which catalogues a bunch of online uni degrees and lists their admission requirements. I found an interesting degree in the Masters of Aboriginal Studies which has a low admission requirements and is something that I am particularly passionate about (despite having no idea about the degree altogether!). I haven't applied for it but plan to do so given certain circumstances and if I ultimately decide to return to uni. 

I know its not much consolation now as you are feeling the fresh sting of rejection at the moment but as many great thinkers before us have said: patience and hope are the greatest of virtues. Hopefully, other community members will jump in and share similar stories as it is an all too common experience amongst those with MH issues. We are always here to listen and support you.

In the meantime if you need to chat to someone please remember that here at Beyond Blue you can always reach out through the 24/7 phone and online support service. The number for which is 1300 22 4636 and the link at the top right hand corner of this page. 

Bob

[ecomama]

Dear Giggyy, I'm sorry about your application for early entry to Uni. Hugs.

I can hear how sad and disappointed you feel about this. I think your disappointment is completely normal. 

Please know that we've all been rejected from something we've REALLY wanted. Something we thought we could get. Possibly even something it seems that "everyone else" gets, just not us. 

This isn't quite true. No one gets a free ride avoiding rejection - no one! It's a shared human experience. 

One big one down! 
Bouncing back from this will show your courage, vulnerability and determination for your own future. 

Tbh I'm old lol. I applied for EVERY University and everyone, I mean EVERY ONE, including ALL of my teachers, my boyfriend at the time 😪, my parents, grandparents, aunties... every school mate... said I wouldn't get in. 

That HURT. I was only getting pretty awful grades with MAXIMUM effort. 
I even got a horrible injury on my writing hand during Year 12 ugh... I couldn't write. 

I dug deep. Felt SO alone. But I KNEW without a doubt that this was it (it's not it for you tho! There are options for applying later on). No one would have supported me, at all, if I didn't get in first time. 
I got in by TWO marks. Then got kicked out and on it went! Agreed to double subjects ughh and eventually Graduated. 

What I'm trying to say is that, this is awesome practice at BOUCING BACK, showing your resilience! 

If you want to "be in the arena" as the bravest of us are. Then you will fail. As we all do. 
The magic in this is getting back up. 

We've got you. You can do this! Go ALL OUT and apply like crazy. See how this unfolds. 
Love EM

[alym20]

Hi Giggyy,

I am sorry to hear about your university application.

I am in a similar position at the moment with applying for my next course and feeling quite overwhelmed.

Something that helps me when things don't work out the way you want is just to think maybe it wasn't meant for me because something greater is coming. I know it's easier said than done but changing your mindset can make a big difference. Wishing you all the best and I'm sure you will end up exactly where you want to be 🙂

[Petal22]

Hi Giggy,

Im sorry you are feeling this way.

I understand that anxiety can be difficult to deal with but you can learn to manage this.

Have you thought about speaking to your gp about the way your are feeling?

I understand it’s hard when we get stuck in a spiral , when you feel as though your mind is spiralling try to bring yourself out of your mind and put your attention on something more positive in the present moment.

” What we give attention to we give power to “

I understand that sometimes when we don’t get into something we can loose a bit of confidence but I believe that what’s for you won’t pass you by.

Keep applying …….fly caution to the wind because you will get into uni it’s just a matter of time.

Don’t give up!

We often hear about peoples successes but those people would have been unsuccessful many times but they didn’t give up that’s why they became successful.