Manasvini Natarajan

Good morning, Class of 2025!

Before we start, let’s take a moment to acknowledge that we actually made it. After years of exams, all-nighters and UTD’s beloved parking situation, we are here. If that’s not perseverance, I don’t know what is.

Today, I want to talk about something that’s been with me throughout my time in college: fear of failure. For the longest time, I avoided risks, doubted myself and played it safe. I thought failure meant I wasn’t good enough, so I did everything in my power to avoid it. And then, I learned there’s actually a term for this — atychiphobia — the fear of failure. Which, honestly, sounds like something you’d be diagnosed with after getting a physics exam back.

But let’s be real — failure is basically a graduation requirement. We’ve all been there. That first test you thought you nailed, only to check eLearning and see a grade that made you question all your life choices. That club fair you went to, signed up for 15 different organizations, and then proceeded to attend exactly zero meetings.

My own wake-up call came freshman year when I was trying to find a job. I was eager to gain experience, and maybe, just maybe, feel like I had my life together. I sent out 200 job applications. Out of all those applications, I got exactly one interview. Just one. And guess what? I completely bombed it. I walked in feeling nervous but prepared … and walked out feeling like I had just tripped over my own words and faceplanted into reality. I didn’t get the job. And I was crushed.

At that moment, failure felt like the end. I had tried, I had failed and part of me wanted to just give up and stop trying altogether. But that night, I called my mom. I told her how I had messed up; how it felt like I wasn’t good enough. And she said something that stuck with me: “Failure is only when you stop trying. As long as you keep going, you’re not failing — you’re learning.”

That changed everything. I realized failure wasn’t about the outcome — it was about whether or not I let it stop me. So, I tried again. I applied for more jobs, practiced my interviews and, eventually, I landed a position. Not because I magically became the perfect candidate overnight, but because I refused to let one bad experience define me.

That same lesson followed me throughout my years at UTD. It gave me the courage to take challenging courses that scared me, to join clubs that I felt unqualified for and to push myself even when I was certain I’d fall flat on my face. And let me tell you — I did. Many times. But every stumble and every rejection taught me something valuable. I know I’m not alone in this. We’ve all had moments when we felt like we weren’t good enough. But look around — we made it. Through every challenge and every moment of self-doubt, we kept going. And that’s what matters.

Of course, we didn’t do it alone. I want to take a moment to thank UTD — our professors who pushed us to think critically (and occasionally cry), the advisors who somehow knew the exact course we needed even when we didn’t, the Dining Hall staff who kept us going on caffeine and questionable pizza and, most importantly, the friends we made along the way who reminded us that we weren’t in this alone.

As we step into this next chapter of our lives, one thing is certain: we will fail challenges. We will face setbacks, rejections and moments where we question if we’re good enough. But if life has taught us anything, it’s that failure isn’t something to fear — it’s something to embrace. It’s part of the process — a steppingstone, not a stop sign. So go out there. Take risks. Mess up. Try again. Because success isn’t about never failing — it’s about never stopping.

Thank you, and congratulations!

Originally from Chennai, India, Manasvini Natarajan is graduating with a Bachelor of Science in biology. She has been a dedicated peer tutor at the Student Success Center, helping students navigate the challenges of organic chemistry, as well as a First-Year Leader, co-teaching seminars that guided first-year students through their transition to college life. Beyond the classroom, Natarajan has been a research assistant for the Cognitive Informatics and Statistics Lab (COINS), managing data for a project that explored trends in emotional regulation and psychopathology. She also gained valuable experience in customer service as part of the admissions department, assisting prospective students with their journey into higher education. In addition to volunteering at Medical City Dallas, she served as vice president of social events for UTD MEDLIFE, where she designed and executed networking events that connected students both socially and professionally. Her achievements have been recognized with the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science Endowed Scholarship in spring 2022 and the Dean’s Milestone Service Award in May 2024, honoring her outstanding contributions to service and academic excellence. After graduation, Natarajan plans on joining Teachers College at Columbia University to pursue her graduate studies in psychology and continue her dedication to bringing change in the field, not just for those around her, but for those who come after her.