University applications

I told myself I will NOT be tempted to switch on the computer, but somehow the bedbugs were on strike and decided they wanted to have something else besides bedsheets to chew on. A sleepless night soon passed by and I was fidgeting every few minutes.

Probably I did get some winks but it was soon 4 o'clock in the morning and that was when the restlessness really kicked in. Where was my blanket? *toss* Where is the pillow? *scratch* Oh my aircon is switched off! A bit stuffy, better switch it on again! *fiddles for the remote* Oops, gotta go to the loo! *walks to the toilet and goes back to bed* It's so itchy! *scratch again*

Amazingly, it was suddenly 5 a.m. I told myself I will NOT BE TEMPTED TO SWITCH ON THE COMPUTER!!! Unfortunately, mere mortals can't possibly resist their inquisitive character. So it was on with the system unit and soon I was browsing Mozilla Firefox...

For Porn... yea right -.-

FOR ADMISSIONS DECISIONS! Will Cornell decide I was suitable? Being a Brunonian is equally exciting...

And then it came: Harvard: REJECTED!

Oh well, I expected that as I did not even get an interview. (still my cheerful self)

The second blow came harder than expected:
Cornell: REJECTED!

But why??? I thought I did well for the essay? Cornell was, in my opinion one of the more reachable Ivies, but I guess that's apparently not.

In the midst of my frustration I suddenly forgot my Brown and Princeton password. Totally disconcerted from the two application results, I went to school with a glum face. Reminding myself everything is in God's hands, I tried my best to break the news to my teachers who helped me with the apps: all their efforts were for naught.

But better news was in store. Using my colleague's computer, I finally managed to access CMU's admissions page. At first I didn't notice anything different than the other times (which mounted to a hundred) when I went to the "Where am I in the process?" page. Then two "accepted" words suddenly caught my attention - I WAS ADMITTED INTO CARNEGIE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND MELLON COLLEGE OF SCIENCE!

Just then another email came in from Stanford University. Filled with euphoria over my FIRST EVERY ADMISSION FROM US, I decided that some can be spent on rejection letters =)

To my surprise I was waitlisted for the university I spent the least time on my university apps (does it imply something?) [I thought the prospect was bleak so I just applied for fun]

Those news were probably enough for me to survive my last two rejections: Princeton and Brown. Looking back, I only got admitted into CMU out of my 7 universities I applied. Am I disappointed? Of course! But I am also thankful for the admission AND the waitlist.

Ironically, I prayed to God during my applications. I told him that whichever you give me means you want me there, pursuing that degree. God does a great job relieving my burden to choose =D So I guess CMU it is! Look out, here comes Tartan Mark Wong!