Sunday, June 30, 2013

The Search for Graduate School: Part 6

The Right Fit

Let's Call This School E:
Here was a university that before OPE, I was so totally pumped to interview with. Great program, great school, and a great state. If I remember correctly, this interview was between a span of back to back to back interviews. It was Saturday, and I had 9(?) interviews and an info sessin for another school the day/night before. The conference center was out of coffee before 9am that day, and anyone who knows me, knows I need my coffee.

"You can run to the university center and grab coffee there," said the woman at the desk... Lady, I have 8 interviews to attend today and thank you cards to write. I didn't have time to run to the university center (which was two-three blocks away) and grab coffee. So I had to toughen it up.

Anyway, I was in the middle of consecutive interviews, and I was going from the 9th floor to the basement, to the 5th floor, and back up to the 8th. (May not be exact numbers.)

I. Was. Tired.

And you know, how after you repeat yourself over and over again, you kind of start forgetting how to speak almost, because you're tripping over words and you're brain is screaming, "Talk about something else!!" No? Maybe it's just me. I got to this interview, exhausted but still excited, and I did my best, but I knew it wasn't enough. After I walked out of the interview room, I thought, "Oh jeez. They hated me." So I crossed that one off the mental list of places I had a shot at.

Break Time:
My school, Whitewater, had reserved an extra room at the conference center, which served as a break room for the candidates and interview team alike. After my slew of interviews, I decided to chill with some familiar faces before I had to go to my next interview. My mentor stepped in in between interviews, sees me in the room, and says, "Come into the hall with me." Now, as much as I love this man, and as much as I know how he operates, every time he puts his business face on and adds a serious note to his voice, I get nervous and think I'm trouble.

So I froze for a second, not knowing where this conversation was going, and he says, "Come on, I only have like, 20 seconds." Zoom! I was out the door. He pulls me aside and says, "So this university really likes you." "Oh really? Because I thought they hated me." "No, they've been asking me a lot of questions about you. Now, here's my question. Would you be actually ready to move to this state?" Without hesitation, I said, "Yeah! Are you kidding me?! I would love to!" And that was the end of the conversation.

Feeling Like A Teenager:
Remember when you were young...er, and you liked someone, and you waited by the telephone (cuz those were still around) for your crush to call you? (because people weren't text-a-holics yet?) I did that for a little while with this school. I thought they liked me. I like them, but maybe I was mistaken. Oh well, I had three other schools that I was looking at by then.

Then I got rejected by all three.

Then I got rejected by another.

Then there was an opening at this school.

And I got invited to visit campus.

And like with school C, but even better, I fell in love. I didn't think it would happen after C, because I had such strong feelings about them. But just like how I deal with men and breakups. They're sad, but I always bounce back eventually.

The experience comes next.

Coming Soon... The Final Installment

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