Failure.
After being rejected from two of the three schools I applied to I am realizing that I have never really failed before. Sure, I've failed tests or little things like that, but I have never failed in a way that would change my life.
Thinking about my applications, I can see why I didn't get it, but it's still hard to accept. I tried my hardest to make a good application and I think I was a decent candidate for both of the schools I applied to. Awesome standardized test scores, decent grades (3.75!), tough classes, good school, every extracurricular possible, decent essay-writing skills, good recommendations, the whole nine yards. I know that I was rejected from Syracuse because of my sub-par portfolio (I can draw, but I don't make "art"), and from Stanford because my math SAT II was probably not up to snuff (710 or something).
It stings, though, because those were things that I did my best on. My best effort is not good enough, and I failed.
Awesome life lesson, world. As Herbert would say, just give up now, you're never going to succeed.