I always believed that getting a job was easy — well, at least for some. I convinced myself that I had to get a job this summer because I spent too much money on bubble tea, so I began applying. I applied to the Ladders for Leaders Program (L4L) and the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP). I got into L4L, but they don't guarantee internships based on acceptance into their program because applicants have to interview for the internships, and I don't think I really sold myself during the interviews because I knew that I didn't sound quite interested in the position. I didn't even get selected for SYEP because it is a lottery system, and with my luck, I didn't get chosen this year. That's when I started to panic because I kept thinking that I wasn't good enough for these employers.

I began to apply to every job that I (sort of) qualified for. I applied to retail stores, restaurants, boba shops, dessert places, you name it. My parents even drove me around the neighborhood to help me look for places that were hiring (huge shoutout to them). All of the places that I went to told me to leave my name, age, availability, and contact info, and I did, but guess what, they never called me back. My self-esteem kind of took a hit after that, but you know what, it's okay.

These experiences taught me that rejection is normal and that it doesn't dictate your self-worth. You never know what really happens during the application/hiring process, so don't get discouraged if you receive rejections, or in my case, never hear back. Just keep applying. Apply to 100 places, and I know that may sound excessive, but trust me, you are bound to land at least one out of the 100 you apply to.

I recommend that you apply broadly, and do not limit yourself to one type of job. You should also go in person or call the company directly because that shows more dedication. Better yet, if you have some sort of connection, this will save you the trouble of interviewing and waiting for a response. I've experienced this first hand, and if there's one piece of advice that I could give anyone, it would be to make connections, make more connections, and make even more connections.

Oh man, I feel like I'm an actual adult now. Well, this is scary.