Rejection.  It's a fact of life.  Everyone gets rejected at some point.  But it seems to be especially prevalent among law students.   One thing I've noticed at GW is that there seems to be a particularly dark cloud hanging above the law school.  Students are getting rejected by employers, journals, clinics or even that hottie who sits across the aisle in class.  And in this current economic climate the rejection letters from employers are coming more and more frequently than before despite the increased effort from students to look for more jobs.   DLA Piper recently sent out a letter stating that due to the late start date of their associate class, they won't even begin recruiting until November 15; and they are not the only one.  Some firms aren't recruiting and even the government seems to be looking for less free work than in the past.  As such, the job hunt has become more competitive as employers are looking for those in the top 5-10% and some employers aren't even showing up at GW.  Students who formerly had a shot at a firm job for the 2L year aren't even getting interviews.  Sadly, some students are finding this increase in rejection to be more than they can bear.  As one 2L says, "it's all about getting drunk" and a 3L states that she engages in "alcohol and self-aggrandizement over the fact that [she] almost has a JD".  As tasty and fun as it might be drowning one's sorrows in the bottom of a highball it is usually not the most effective way to get past rejection.

Sometimes it's important to get a fresh perspective when you've been rejected.  3L Denise Turner says, "The first thing I do when I get rejected is call my mom.  She knows nothing about law school, so her advice isn't always entirely useful, but she's the one person who's required to say nice things about me.  At the very least, she always has an upbeat attitude and knows how to make me feel better."  If you don't have a mom or just can't bear the thought of calling her again with you most recent rejection letter then find someone you can talk to.  It doesn't have to be a fellow law student; seek out the person that knows you best and who will pull you out of your misery, instead of joining you in it.    Sometimes, you just need a good friend who will slap some sense into you.  However, if that person you are talking to has a tendency to absorb the conversation with their own issues instead of listening to yours, it might be necessary to find a new approach to stress management or a new person with whom to talk.

You may want to try exercise.  Exercise has been known to have mood enhancing results.  The Mayo Clinic says that aside from releasing mood-boosting endorphins, exercise can boost your confidence, offer some distraction, create interactions and provide healthy coping skills.  So when you find yourself getting especially down over the most recent rejection letter, get out and exercise.  Even if you're gym phobic, a 15 - 20 minute walk around the block can help.  The warm sunny days in DC are numbered so get out and enjoy them while you can.  Who knows,  you never know when you will make a new friend on the treadmill or stationary bike.

If you find that your phone calls get re-directed by you friend's most recent romance crisis or your mom's latest feud with her mother or you suffer from a gym phobia then there are other steps that can be used to cope with rejection.  Distract yourself.  This author personally believes in and endorses the distracting power of television and DVD boxed sets.  A good DVD can carry you away on the wings of fantasy and while you are wrapped up in someone else's drama you can forget your own.  How about a new book; you can also find distraction in a good read.  Not your casebook.  Maybe a casebook will help you sleep, but if you want to do something different, read the latest best-seller or the classic novel that you always wanted to check out.  Another option is to go out and have fun with your friends.  Go out for the day or evening by doing something completely unrelated to law school.  Host a game night or movie night.  Do something different from the status quo.

Lastly, try to change your thinking.  Sometimes when you have the same reaction to the emotion that arises when you have been rejected, your neurons form a connection that causes the same feelings and emotions to arise every time you find yourself in a similar situation.  The only way to change this is to consciously try to change your reactions to your situation.  It's important to realize that you aren't the only person being rejected.  If you talked to your classmates, it's likely that they are suffering from the same types of rejection that you are.  So, change your thinking.  Acknowledge that you didn't get that job that you wanted, but refocus your energy on something else.  Try to consider that there will be something out there for you, even if it's not what you originally wanted.  If you think that everything happens for a reason then you will be less likely to think why me and more likely to think "this just wasn't the right opportunity for me.  There's something better out there."  I have often found that this is the most effective way to reformat my thinking.  It has been my experience that rejection has often led to something better coming along.

However you cope with rejection, the important thing is that you keep yourself going.  You need to get up and get dressed and put one foot in front of the other.  Find a way to distract yourself and get through this.   Yes, rejection sucks but it is also part of being human.  Things will get better but in the mean time, focus on school and do something to help yourself.  You will graduate with a JD and you will get a job.  So get distracted, get fit or get a new life, but don't get self -destructive.  Try to stay a functioning member of society and you will find that things get better.  They might not get easier, but they will get better.