When I was in seventh grade, I was rejected by the first boy I ever really had a crush on because he didn’t like me back.

When I was a freshman in high school, I was rejected by the “popular group” because I wasn’t “cool enough.”

When I was 16, I was rejected from the first job I ever applied for, Subway.

When I was a junior in high school, I was rejected by another boy I really liked after he friend-zoned me.

When I was a senior in high school, I was rejected from New York University, my dream school, because my ACT score wasn’t high enough.

Last year, my application was rejected from the College of Education at Michigan State University because my math score on the Professional Readiness Exam (PRE) wasn’t high enough.

This past week, I was rejected from 17 spring and summer internships I applied for because they each hired candidates who were more qualified.

I’m not telling you all of these things to get pity and make you feel bad for me. I’m telling you these things to make a point: Rejection sucks but it’s a part of life.

I have been rejected from far more things than listed above, and each rejection hurt just as much.

Rejections is one of the worst feelings to experience. Rejection makes you like you’re unworthy, not good enough, inferior to other people, and sometimes makes you wonder if you’ll ever amount to anything.

Getting rejected from anything job-related is always difficult because it makes you question if you’re throwing your life away by pursuing some career you might never make it in. One of the worst parts about rejection is getting the same basic and boring emails every time: “We want to thank you for your interest in (inset job or internship title).

We had many fine applications for the position, including you. However, we have filled the position with someone whose background and credentials we feel best meet our needs at this time. We welcome you to apply for any future positions we have available that match your skills and experience.” In case you were wondering, this was an actual rejection email I received.

We have all felt rejection at some point throughout our lives. Whether it’s getting rejected by a boy, getting denied admission to a college, you thought you were qualified for, or in my case, getting turned away from a majority of the internships you applied for.

It’s easy to give up in the face of rejection, but you can’t. You have to take the rejection with a grain of salt and move on. If you’re lucky, getting rejected might actually work out in your favor years down the road.

Had the boys I liked in seventh and eleventh grade actually liked me back, I might not be as independent as I am today. Had I received that job at Subway, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity of working at McDonald’s the past four and a half years, completely falling in love with the company (I’m weird, I know).

Had I been accepted into New York University, my savings account would be completely wiped out, I would be in more than $100,000 worth of debt (literally, that school is expensive AF), and I wouldn’t have become a Spartan at Michigan State University, meeting some of my best friends and getting an amazing, high-quality education. Had I been accepted into the College of Education at Michigan State University, I wouldn’t have discovered my true passion: journalism; I might have spent my entire life working a job I hated.

Rejection sucks, but it happens to everyone and you can’t avoid it. Getting rejected just means that whatever you wanted just isn’t in God’s plan for you. Think about everything you have ever been rejected from, and ask yourself, “What would my life be like today if (insert whatever) actually worked out? Just think about it. Everything that never worked out in your life served a greater purpose; it taught you to be strong, it taught you to persevere and keep trying, and it shaped your life into what it is today.

Getting rejected sucks. It will never be an easy thing to deal with and I can guarantee that you will never be able to avoid it. While you might want to give up and take the easy route, don’t do it. Hold your head high and keep trying, because your time will come.

After getting rejected from 17 internships this past week, I could have given up, but I didn’t. You know what I did? I applied for more internships. Eventually someone somewhere is going to believe in me and give me a chance, and if I just sink deeper and deeper into my turtle shell after getting rejected time and time again, I might miss out on incredible opportunities, and so will you.