Ivy Day 2013
Hello everyone!
I hope the spring season is treating you all well. Yesterday was a big day for high school seniors around the country. All of the Ivy League school decisions came out, as well as many other universities.
Anyone who knows me knows that my one constant dream in life has been to attend Harvard. My motto has always been "Go big or go home." I remember writing my plan for myself ten years from eighth grade, and it included graduating from Harvard. And as I'm thinking about it, I remember the letter I wrote myself at the end of May 2009 to open when I graduate, and I remember the fact that I scolded my future self if I did not get into an Ivy League. And guess what, y'all? I didn't get into either of them (Yale or Harvard).
It was more than heartbreaking. More than devastating. I literally watched the dreams I had built up for thirteen years crumble to the ground. I wasn't surprised when I read those rejection letters, but I was extremely disappointed. There's no way around that. Everything I have done, especially the past four years, has been with the effort and intention of becoming the person Harvard would want. Heck, this blog? I created it when a business professional explained to me that blogging could be a great asset when applying for colleges.
People keep telling me it's all about the journey, not the destination. My mom cited a quote on my wall, Zig Zigler's "What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals." But it's hard to believe right now. I read a few blurbs from current Ivy students or fellow Ivy-declined students about how this is okay. And when I read their words, where they explained every feeling and thought I was having, I really realized I wasn't alone.
We want to believe that we're different. We want to tell people they don't understand and that our life depended on this. But it doesn't. We're heartbroken and dejected. But the fact that we brought ourselves to apply to an Ivy League or any reach school and thought we had a chance or were told we're a sure shot in? That itself means that we are pretty fantastic people. And that as cliche as it is, we're going to succeed with or without that Ivy League education.
I don't want to rain on anyone's parade. Those of you who got into your dream schools: I admire you and I am so proud of you. But for those of us who didn't: It just wasn't in the cards; and you know what? Who's to say that we won't end up more successful than some of those Ivy Leaguers? Even though many of us may have been told our undergraduate college experience is one of the most important decisions of our life, it doesn't mean everything. And it sure shouldn't be a measure of our self worth (which I will voluntarily admit has been my problem).
Today, my economics teacher and my school counselor both compared this college process to relationships. My counselor (who I really love and respect for all the help she has been to me this year) mentioned some advice she received about being in a relationship where he wants/loves you more than you do. And there are plenty of colleges I'm sure that are begging you to attend. And that's going to be better for you because they are going to give you those opportunities and experiences that we value the Ivies for. My economics teacher mentioned a different situation. He described a situation where your boyfriend leaves you for some really unattractive girl and you may be thinking "What the heck? I'm more attractive and I have more teeth. What does he see in her?" But it's not really our place to ask those questions, y'know? To each his own.
Maybe your dream school didn't want you. But that just means it wouldn't be the best place for you in the end. Personally, I had always hated the schools in my home state. I never wanted to go to either of them--they were my absolute last choice. But at the beginning of the month I attended Georgia Tech for their President's Scholar Weekend and had one of the most phenomenal and memorable weekends of my life with the most impressive and friendliest and just greatest young people I have ever met. I was offered the President's Scholarship later that week and was thrilled. But when I read my decisions yesterday, I forgot about how much I liked Tech and how well I felt I fit there. For the past 24 hours I had felt like I had absolutely no options and I blatantly told my counselor that I wasn't looking forward to college at all. I hated that I no longer had the chance to at least decide, y'know? But I think it's for the best in the end. Because if I had gotten into Harvard, I don't think I would have made the right decision. In a few more days, or maybe weeks, I'll be reinvigorated for college again. But even more importantly, I'll find that goal, that plan, that dream, that's going to push me through those four years of undergrad. I'll have something new to look forward to. And I'll be working towards it on a beautiful city campus with the top 1% of my class.
I know just reading my story or my words doesn't change anything. But I want you, whoever you are, to know that, as Hannah Montana once said, "life's what you make it." One decision or rejection, whether it's a college, a job, a relationship, etc. doesn't make or break you. Because if you can dream and plan and work hard then you have a whole lot ahead of you and you are going to do so much more.
Yesterday, plagiarizing the words of FDR, I thought to myself March 28th, 2013 is a day that will live in infamy. But it doesn't have to be that way. There are plenty of other days that are going to matter. Like maybe Ivy Graduate Decision day four years from now ;)
I hope the spring season is treating you all well. Yesterday was a big day for high school seniors around the country. All of the Ivy League school decisions came out, as well as many other universities.
Anyone who knows me knows that my one constant dream in life has been to attend Harvard. My motto has always been "Go big or go home." I remember writing my plan for myself ten years from eighth grade, and it included graduating from Harvard. And as I'm thinking about it, I remember the letter I wrote myself at the end of May 2009 to open when I graduate, and I remember the fact that I scolded my future self if I did not get into an Ivy League. And guess what, y'all? I didn't get into either of them (Yale or Harvard).
It was more than heartbreaking. More than devastating. I literally watched the dreams I had built up for thirteen years crumble to the ground. I wasn't surprised when I read those rejection letters, but I was extremely disappointed. There's no way around that. Everything I have done, especially the past four years, has been with the effort and intention of becoming the person Harvard would want. Heck, this blog? I created it when a business professional explained to me that blogging could be a great asset when applying for colleges.
People keep telling me it's all about the journey, not the destination. My mom cited a quote on my wall, Zig Zigler's "What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals." But it's hard to believe right now. I read a few blurbs from current Ivy students or fellow Ivy-declined students about how this is okay. And when I read their words, where they explained every feeling and thought I was having, I really realized I wasn't alone.
We want to believe that we're different. We want to tell people they don't understand and that our life depended on this. But it doesn't. We're heartbroken and dejected. But the fact that we brought ourselves to apply to an Ivy League or any reach school and thought we had a chance or were told we're a sure shot in? That itself means that we are pretty fantastic people. And that as cliche as it is, we're going to succeed with or without that Ivy League education.
I don't want to rain on anyone's parade. Those of you who got into your dream schools: I admire you and I am so proud of you. But for those of us who didn't: It just wasn't in the cards; and you know what? Who's to say that we won't end up more successful than some of those Ivy Leaguers? Even though many of us may have been told our undergraduate college experience is one of the most important decisions of our life, it doesn't mean everything. And it sure shouldn't be a measure of our self worth (which I will voluntarily admit has been my problem).
Today, my economics teacher and my school counselor both compared this college process to relationships. My counselor (who I really love and respect for all the help she has been to me this year) mentioned some advice she received about being in a relationship where he wants/loves you more than you do. And there are plenty of colleges I'm sure that are begging you to attend. And that's going to be better for you because they are going to give you those opportunities and experiences that we value the Ivies for. My economics teacher mentioned a different situation. He described a situation where your boyfriend leaves you for some really unattractive girl and you may be thinking "What the heck? I'm more attractive and I have more teeth. What does he see in her?" But it's not really our place to ask those questions, y'know? To each his own.
Maybe your dream school didn't want you. But that just means it wouldn't be the best place for you in the end. Personally, I had always hated the schools in my home state. I never wanted to go to either of them--they were my absolute last choice. But at the beginning of the month I attended Georgia Tech for their President's Scholar Weekend and had one of the most phenomenal and memorable weekends of my life with the most impressive and friendliest and just greatest young people I have ever met. I was offered the President's Scholarship later that week and was thrilled. But when I read my decisions yesterday, I forgot about how much I liked Tech and how well I felt I fit there. For the past 24 hours I had felt like I had absolutely no options and I blatantly told my counselor that I wasn't looking forward to college at all. I hated that I no longer had the chance to at least decide, y'know? But I think it's for the best in the end. Because if I had gotten into Harvard, I don't think I would have made the right decision. In a few more days, or maybe weeks, I'll be reinvigorated for college again. But even more importantly, I'll find that goal, that plan, that dream, that's going to push me through those four years of undergrad. I'll have something new to look forward to. And I'll be working towards it on a beautiful city campus with the top 1% of my class.
I know just reading my story or my words doesn't change anything. But I want you, whoever you are, to know that, as Hannah Montana once said, "life's what you make it." One decision or rejection, whether it's a college, a job, a relationship, etc. doesn't make or break you. Because if you can dream and plan and work hard then you have a whole lot ahead of you and you are going to do so much more.
Yesterday, plagiarizing the words of FDR, I thought to myself March 28th, 2013 is a day that will live in infamy. But it doesn't have to be that way. There are plenty of other days that are going to matter. Like maybe Ivy Graduate Decision day four years from now ;)
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