If you’ve ever been on the receiving end of a rejection email—complete with the formal “we regret to inform you” and the cheerful invitation to apply again next year—then you know the sting. For seniors at Lexington High School in the thick of college decision season, these stings feel particularly sharp. Though it often feels like you are alone in facing admissions decisions, rejection letters are a shared reality for many students. In fact, in the spirit of community, the LHS Senate monitored a “Wall of Rejection” where students could hang up their rejection letters for others to see for years. However, after inappropriate and discouraging comments began to appear, the board was removed. The debate over whether the “Wall of Rejection” should be reinstated still lingers in the halls of LHS, but students are keeping the camaraderie alive through the LHS Rejections Instagram page.

Although there are indisputable social benefits to having a “Wall of Rejections” return to Commons II, newer formats like the LHS Rejections Instagram page reach seniors in a more positive way.

Before its removal, the “Wall of Rejections” was a popular feature for LHS senior classes.

“I personally was like, ‘This is pretty cool,’ because [the wall] was countering the achievement culture here at school. It was like, ‘Oh, we can kind of celebrate or acknowledge that when we don’t get the things we want, that’s okay,” Rohen Sundaram, a Health teacher and 2016 LHS graduate, said. 

By putting rejections on display, the board worked against the pressure students feel to constantly perform and succeed. However, the open access to the board made it hard to prevent negative and unsupportive comments from appearing next to the rejection letters.

“That seems like the biggest challenge that the Senate in the past has faced: trying to figure out how to moderate it,” Maddie Chang, a senior and moderator of the LHS senate, said. 

Last fall, the anonymous Instagram handle “lhs2025rejections” began uploading screenshots of rejection letters with students’ names blacked out. By preserving anonymity, the page has provided a platform for seniors to acknowledge their shared struggles without the logistical and social challenges of a physical board. 

The page has also created a supportive environment for the students who submitted their rejections.

“I had friends submit their rejection letters. And I think the support on that account was really telling…if [they] see people like [their] posts…I think it does build a good sense of community for sure,” Myrto Kokkinia, a senior at LHS, said. 

Still, some students feel that a physical board could have benefits that the Instagram account lacks. For example, seeing rejections posted on a wall could help underclassmen realize that setbacks are part of the process. 

“I think as an underclassman, you idolize the seniors. You’re like, ‘These people are so smart, they’re doing all these APs.’ And I think it’s important for younger grades to also see that people get rejected all the time, and it’s totally not wrong,” Kokkinia said. 

On the other hand, some students feel that the physical board’s public nature could be a source of stress, especially when it comes to how different students deal with rejection.

“For the rejection page, you can choose to follow or you can choose to block. The board, if it was posted, even if you didn’t look at it during passing time, you would still be aware of it…and that could send you into a spiral,” Zela Onwubiko, a senior at LHS, said. 

Giving students the choice to view rejections through means such as an Instagram account can be a better solution to these mixed feelings.  

As the college application process continues to be a stressful part of the senior year experience, students need space to acknowledge their rejections and achievements without the added pressures of public visibility or judgment. Ultimately, until a better system is in place to moderate a physical board, the LHS Rejections Instagram provides a private and accessible space for students to share their rejections and feel less alone in the process.