March 13, 2022 

Picking through grass for four leaf clovers, throwing coins into fountains, blowing on rogue eyelashes, knocking on wood, or picking up pennies: all rituals that should, ideally, bring us a stroke of luck. Sometimes, superstition drives these actions; they are a must-do in order to avoid bad karma. However much you believe these luck-bringing rituals work, they provide a sense of comfort that we are taking extra steps to ensure our wishes come true. But, the best way to bring good luck is to create it yourself. 

Creating your luck involves trusting the universe that your wishes will come true. A core principle of manifestation and the law of attraction, this trust holds significant validity. If you’re in the mentality something will happen, you’re more likely to notice and be more receptive to opportunities for these things to occur. Even the smallest actions, such as listening to your favorite playlist or putting on an empowering outfit, can put you in the right mindset to go out and get what you want. 

I believe that the energy you put out is the energy you get back. If you go into an exam telling yourself it’s going to be hard and you’re going to fail, you’ll view the actual exam as difficult and challenging as you take it. But, if you tell yourself that you are prepared and are going to do well, you’re much more likely to approach the exam as something you can do utilizing everything you did to study. 

However, creating your own luck includes more than just holding the belief that something good will happen, it also includes viewing failure as a positive learning experience. As someone who has dealt with multiple rejections, the last thing I want to hear when wallowing in self-pity and self-doubt is that every failure is a learning experience and happened for a reason. A crucial part in creating your own luck is viewing everything that happens to you—the good and the bad, the success and the failure—as something that happened for a reason. If you can’t see that reason immediately, you must work to find it. 

I wish I could say that I’ve completely abandoned the belief that making a wish on an eyelash is enough to seal the deal on something I’m hoping for. I’ve come to realize, however, that this is more just a comforting habit I’ve gotten into and that real luck is something I must create for myself. Each semester at Michigan, I have applied to multiple professional clubs, and each semester, until this one, I have received the dreaded “Due to the high number of applicants…” email. As frustrating as it is to continuously put myself out there just to be met with disappointment, I have found that each time I’ve learned something new, whether it’s how to answer the common questions asked or simply feeling more comfortable in an interview setting. And each time, I have taken what I’ve learned, reflected on how I can grow from it, and tried again. Eventually, I got the anticipated email, beginning with the desired words “Congratulations.”  

Rather than relying on old superstitions to make things happen, create your own. Maybe you tell yourself that every time you go to office hours for extra help, you will ace an exam. Ultimately, there is no direct way to discern whether or not this visit with your professor resulted in a high grade on your exam. But, it is a purposeful action that comforts you in your efforts in doing well in the class, giving you more confidence going into an otherwise daunting exam. 

Based on my experience, there is a unique empowerment that comes from taking control of what I want and making it happen for myself. I see how the conscious efforts I make bring me closer to my goals, and I can attest to how shitty it feels to constantly be rejected, whether it’s from a club or college. Even if your actions don’t result in the desired outcome immediately, know that you are working towards something bigger and better in the future. Remember that you are the one creating the luck, not an object or action, and that there is no greater way to bring good luck than through yourself.