Why I’m Sharing This
We all love to talk about our wins. But what we don’t often share is how many times we had to fall flat before we figured out how to stand tall.
This space is dedicated to the failures that shaped me; not because they define me, but because they taught me to rise, reset, and restart. If you’re in that phase of trying hard and still not making it, maybe this story is for you.
🚫 Rejected by 50+ Internship Applications (2021)
In 2021, like many engineering students, I was chasing my first big break; a solid internship where I could learn, contribute, and prove myself. I had built good projects, learned the right skills, and checked all the boxes. But still; silence. My applications weren’t even making it past the first round.
It felt brutal. Every day I’d apply, check my inbox, refresh, and repeat; only to face rejection or worse, no response at all.
There was a point I remember clearly; I called my dad and cried.
I told him, “I’ve failed again.”
He didn’t give me a magic solution, but he gave me something better; belief. He, along with my friends, reminded me that this wasn’t the end; just a rough beginning. They told me to cry if I had to, but then wipe my face and restart. And I did. That restart changed everything for me.
I doubled down on my prep. Polished my resume. Reached out to people. Built things. Shared things. And then, I randomly messaged a recruiter at LinkedIn. I didn’t expect much. I had no referrals. Just a message, a portfolio, and a little hope.
To my surprise, he responded.
He appreciated my work and scheduled an interview. That was the first time my resume actually got shortlisted. I couldn’t believe it. I had four technical rounds lined up, and I was a nervous wreck.
In my first round, I fumbled. I was too anxious to express myself properly; something I know many of us go through. But I kept going. We discussed my projects, my research, my love for building things, and eventually; I cleared all rounds.
I got selected.
I called my dad again; but this time, in tears of joy.
That day, I didn’t just land an internship; I proved to myself that resilience works.
Reflection
Sometimes you do everything right, and still things don’t work out.
But that doesn’t mean you stop.
It means you pause, cry if you have to, reflect; and restart. Because it’s not about how many times you fail. It’s about how many times you’re willing to try again.
And that’s the only strategy I still follow to this day:
Restart. Refocus. Rebuild.
I’m still failing, still learning — and that’s the whole point. If you’ve failed too, you’re not alone. The trick is to keep going.