My time at Gatton was filled with learning about myself and the world around me. One of the most important things I learned at Gatton is setback today does not define tomorrow’s outcome. In fact, many times, yesterday’s failures have paved the way for today’s achievements.

Like many of my peers at Gatton, I arrived with a high GPA achieved with relative ease in previous settings; however, adapting to a different academic environment requires resilience and the ability to embrace failure as an essential step toward success. Although I didn’t quite figure out the phrasing “failure today does not necessarily mean failure tomorrow” until my last semester of Gatton, this philosophy has been what kept me on track to reach my goals.

Whether facing challenges in the gym, setbacks in experiments, disappointments in exams, or rejections from programs, I’ve learned to remind myself that setbacks are part of the process. Supportive mentors, friends, and family have reinforced this belief, emphasizing that persistence and dedication lead to eventual success.

Research highlights this principle vividly. Engaging in the Genome program my first semester, I learned microbiology techniques required to isolate a novel bacteriophage. Bacteriophage research became a passion during my time at Gatton. Through multiple rounds of experimentation over the course of a few semesters (and only one broken piece of glassware!) I was able to meet my research goals. My research mentor, Dr. King, noted that research progress is marked by occasional setbacks. When his wife asks him how his day went, he replies with “I don’t know! The results are not out yet.” Perhaps he didn’t mean it in this way, but I decided to take the anecdote as meaning, “Why not be excited about the research you did today, even if it doesn’t work out the way you want it to? If it doesn’t work, you’ll get to try again.” 

Initially disheartened by failed experiments, I gradually embraced these challenges as opportunities for growth. Each failure taught me valuable lessons, refining my approach and eventually yielding meaningful results.

Whether pursuing research or any other endeavor, it’s essential to recognize that failure is not just acceptable but necessary. Perfection rarely manifests instantly; it emerges through persistence, adaptation, and learning from setbacks. Embracing failure as part of the process has transformed setbacks into stepping stones toward success, a mindset I carry forward with confidence as I embark on new challenges beyond Gatton. I encourage you to do the same.