Celebrating Failure

It is a cliche thing to say, but I have learned quickly during my time here at UF that you can't be afraid to fail because failure is an inevitable part of life. I think if I think real deeply I can think of many times where I have recently failed, but for this assignment I will focus on one particular aspect of my time here at the University of Florida and the failure that has come along with that. One of my main goals heading into this fall semester was to land an internship for this upcoming summer. With this main goal of mine, I made a concentrated effort to make this a reality by attending a number of networking events, including perhaps the largest of them, the Career Showcase that was held in September. Being a transfer student, this was my first Career Showcase experience, so I went into it with nerves and excitement for what was ahead of me. Long story short, nothing really came of my time at Career Showcase and the companies and recruiters that I talked to. While I am not counting it as a complete failure yet, this was a big disappointment for me, especially after hearing about students who had a lot of success. From this failure, I learned the importance of being prepared. In an event like Career Showcase, when you think you are prepared, prepare more. I also learned that there is always more that can be done. I could have talked to more recruiters, I could have followed up with them quicker or in a better way, I can be more persistent, I can seek out other companies I am interested in. There is always something that can be done if you really want to accomplish a goal. Failure is funny because it is something I believe is necessary and inevitable when on your way to achieving your dreams, yet it is such a difficult thing to handle. Personally, my confidence was shook, and I was doubting myself, but it is so important to recognize that each experience you have is valuable in growing and learning, to make sure that the same failure doesn't continue to occur.