There has been a shower of love letters dropped by Chevening to the emails of applicants this week. As much as we love Chevening, the last thing we want to see is “Further to your recent application for a Chevening Award, we regret to inform you that we will not be taking your application any further on this occasion.” Unfortunately, 98% of applicants will definitely be graced with this email.
I feel this rejection personally as some of my mentees (some of whom I had really high hopes for) have unfortunately been dropped. I do not pretend to say I know how it feels, but I know the colour of rejection and dying hopes and it is not pretty. However, I’ll tell you this; it is NOT over, unless you want it to be. Success doesn’t have feet, it isn’t something that comes to you, it is something you nab.
WHAT NEXT?
I know so many people have been invested in and have made plans around the scholarship with the high hopes that they will scale through. The story is different now and it is a reality that is hard to swallow but must be accepted. For my mentees, it honestly feels like a personal loss for me. But we strike again. It can honestly be very disheartening to invest a lot of time, effort and hope into a failed venture, but failure only truly happens when we stop trying.
There are two options at this point.
Try again, or try no more.
DonateYou are in the best position to choose what best applies to your current situation and the direction you want to take in life. But I’ll tell you this,in case you are wondering if it is worth it, some applied 5 times before finally scaling through and they are better off for it.
TRY AGAIN
It feels like you are setting yourself up as a glutton for rejections but what if? What if this is finally the trial where you hit the jackpot?
My advise will be for you to carry on with your life as if you have never tried for the scholarship before. The only string that should be attached to you regarding Chevening should be in terms of learning from your mistakes. Keep building yourself and your career, chase other opportunities, get a better portfolio, enrol in and follow through courses, keep making impact and come August this year (or the next if you need a break), give it your all once again.
TRY NO MORE
The decision is yours and I am not in your shoes so I am not one to judge. Do what you feel is best for you and for your mental health. There are thousands of opportunities out there and yours is waiting for you to locate out, Franky, not everyone will get selected for Chevening, it doesn’t say anything negative about you as a person or your capabilities, it just means maybe your goals and vision doesn’t align with what Chevening is looking for at the moment. Never give up on that dream; rethink it, re-strategize, rewrap, repackage and channel it to the opportunity that aligns with it.
MENTAL HEALTH FIRST
Some people will be deeply affected by this disappointment. I will implore you to get a safe space to speak about it. Try to see it as a chance to come back stronger. Move on with life as these opportunities are honestly vast and something even better may be lurking around for you. Put YOU and your mental health FIRST. And remember, no’s are a part of life, we all hear many, many, many no’s before that YES.
In case this writeup has had any impact on you or made you gain more insight on your current situation, please drop a comment and share.
From Hafsat, with Love.
