How are you feeling? Did the mere sight these words trigger a series of involuntary stress reactions? Are you experiencing dizziness, coughing or general weakness in the lower body? How about mild swelling of the ankles or lymph nodes? If you answered "yes" to any of the above questions, you have been a victim of the college application process. For me, these words summon fond memories of Saturday morning test prep, number two pencils and being forced to make an account on College Niche.com after my allotted “five school profile views” were up.
Me, at ANY given moment during my senior year
I can comfortably say that I was the worst version of myself between March 13th of 2015 and April 1st of this year. On April 1st, my life was forever changed by a very special Tufts admissions officer, to whom I am forever indebted. However, for the thirteen months between my first SAT prep session and my admission to college, my day-to-day level of irritability constantly fell somewhere between a librarian listening as someone watches a video loudly without earphones and the disgruntled Lieutenant Dan Taylor from the movie Forrest Gump. To say it plainly, I was a mess, and not a cute mess, a messy mess, plagued by sleep deprivation and teenage angst. A mess who had made Cheez-its her primary source of nourishment.
"Describe yourself in 3.5 words"
But like all other forms of provisional existence, the application process eventually came to an end, just as suddenly as it had begun. Now, I mostly look back on applying to college the way I imagine new mothers reflect on childbirth. It was excruciating and I wanted to quit at several times during the process. However, at some point, during the height of my anguish, I realized my only real choice was to just let it happen because I was already in way too deep. In the end, I was met with a beautiful bundle of joy named my electronic acceptance letter, that would change my life forever and, suddenly, it was all worth it.
I am now on the tail end of my seventh week of college and with each passing day this feeling is more and more solidified. I am at the University of my dreams, surrounded by creative, fun, intelligent and extremely passionate individuals. Every interaction I have had so far has helped me grow in someway, whether intellectually or personally. I am surrounded by a wealth of resources, both academic and social and none of it would be possible without those horrendous thirteen months between March of my Junior year and April of my Senior.
I say all of this to say, the application process is a journey, not always a pleasant one but one ultimately leading you to where you need to be. You probably don’t want to hear this but just try to make the best of it... and eat as many Cheez-Its as you need.
I did