Failure takes on several meanings for each person. For some, it may signify a bad grade, or a heartbreak and or maybe not going through with their resolutions for the year. No matter how small or large, everyone experiences it — especially on a college campus. There is no such thing as a perfect path in life. Obstacles are sure to block the road, and mistakes will inevitably cause deviation or straying from one’s path.

As a human being and college student at Wake Forest, I have had my share of failures and mistakes since arriving on campus. I think I speak for almost every procrastinating college student when I say that one of the best feelings is submitting an essay after printing it out and seeing my thoughts and words on a tangible piece of paper as I hand it to my professor — or at least, it is a close second to receiving a good grade on that paper. However, one of my professors last semester gave me a not-so-kind reality check as he returned my paper covered in red marks with my grade in a large red font, like the embroidered letter A that Hester Prynne had to wear as a symbol of her adultery. Like Hester Prynne, I was not proud of such a mark; unlike Hester Prynne’s case, the mark was not an A.

Although it is one of the most advanced courses I was taking that semester, I still felt like a complete and utter failure. Everyone else in the class seemed so confident and proud of their work that I began to spiral into a turmoil of self-doubt and worry. How would I be able to dig myself out of that hole? Would I ever meet the expectations that the professor required of his students? I was ashamed and petrified to even return to class. However, I took three deep breaths and convinced myself to stick with the class and work harder. I began attending office hours and asking every possible question I could. By the end of the semester, I was able to do well in the class and develop as a writer and student.

This is just an example of the many failures I have experienced in college. Although they can feel like a hard slap in the face, they can also be reminders to keep working hard, learn from your past mistakes to try and avoid repeating them in the future. 

It is normal to get impostor syndrome in certain classes and situations, but it is also important to not let it overwhelm you and make you give up. Failure is a part of learning, not a flaw. Failure can be a crushing experience because it is a foreign concept for some students in colleges like Wake Forest.

Many professors at Wake Forest understand and impress on their students that learning is about growing from mistakes, not crafting a strong thesis statement. I must admit I was hesitant in writing this article as it shows some vulnerability on my part. However, after reading one of the “Letters So Dear” that is sent out every week about how failures do not negate successes, I was encouraged to hear that I was not the only one going through some hard failures.

The best thing to keep in mind at the end of the day is that everyone makes mistakes, but what truly matters is whether we learn from our mistakes to improve in the future. Don’t let one bad day define your week, and don’t let one bad week define your month. Be kind to yourself, and don’t expect to be perfect 24/7 or beat yourself up over every little thing you do wrong. Instead, expect to fail and be able to come back as a better and stronger individual.