Someone Finally Said It

My mentor from my internship this past summer said he wouldn’t write a letter of recommendation for my PhD application. He said I wasn’t ready from what he saw. Someone finally said it. No bs. Maybe a little bs. He did say maybe in a few years after I worked in the private sector a bit I might be ready. Probably just to soften the blow. But someone finally said I couldn’t do it. No carefully chosen words, no false niceties, no lies. I respect him for it. Still going to apply. Because I have to try. Already thinking of a backup. I’ll crash and burn as usual, but I’ll do it regardless.