Ok. So like I said in my first post, I’m new to this whole blogging thing but it has definitely grown on me! I love reading other peoples posts. Something I have just recently realized (DUH) is that I can blog about whatever the HECK I want! It doesn’t all have to be able my diet choices, exercise habits, etc. My blog can be filled with everything. Which is awesome because there really is so much more going on in my life than that and why not document these up and coming changes in my life.
So recently (I believe I’ve mentioned this in a post), I graduated with a degree in Chemistry from the University of Central Missouri which is located in Warrensburg, Missouri. Well, let me tell ya… chemistry sucks! I struggled through 4 years of deciding what I wanted to do with multiple major changes and minor additions. All of which resulted in me returning to my original major as an incoming freshman. I still though wanted nothing to do with the subject of Chemistry. Everyone of my classmates had hopes of going to med school, getting their PhD’s, etc. I wanted to graduate and be done with it all.
I have always been very active and involved in everything I do. So no surprise I was involved in organization after organization at UCM. Looking back on my 4 years any good memory had to do with those. I would catch myself wondering how I could do that as a career. It wasn’t until Thanksgiving break of my senior year that I figured it all out! (You know like that ahha moment when the lightbulb comes on!) A grad student at my undergrad that I worked with told me about this conference about “Exploring your Future in Student Affairs.” She told me that I should just attend and learn as much as I could. When the day was over, I called my mom in tears because I knew it was what I wanted to do.
So, from there I needed to apply to grad school. WAIT?! Grad school?! Isn’t that what people spent months and months preparing for? Taking the GRE, perfecting their personal statements, resume critiquing, contacting references, etc. and I was just starting now? HOLY HELL I was behind. I didn’t even know where to begin. Deadlines were approaching and all I wanted to do was enjoy my Thanksgiving break back home. Unfortunately, that wasn’t going to happen.
My entire break consisted of applications. Paying fees, researching schools/programs, etc. I finally got applications submitted. Colorado State-Fort Collins, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Michigan State University, Miami University, and University of Central Missouri (gotta have a back up plan).
Now, the waiting began.
My first rejection letter came in February and just happened to be from my number one choice Colorado State. I had never been rejected like that before. It hurt. 😦 The next one came from Michigan State. Let me tell you, their’s was harsh! I began to panick. Maybe this wasn’t what I should be doing. Isn’t everything supposed to work out? I was starting to lose hope. Along with getting aggrevated. I had spent so much money on application fees to pretty much get nothing in return. I remember at one point tweeting grad school had taught me one thing and one thing only and that was how to be rejected!
THEN, I got a letter from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. I GOT PAST THEIR FIRST ROUND! (I may or may not have peed myself a little when I read that). I had to fill out a survey ranking assistantships for their program. After getting that news there was more waiting. THEN, I got asked to do an on campus interview!!!
Of course, the next question I asked myself was what was I going to wear?! I went out and bought suits to wear. According to the schedule I was going to be on campus 2 days. A Thursday and Friday. Well, this winter the weather sucked! I got all the way up there for my on campus interview and got snowed into my hotel, the school had a snow day Thursday, there was potentially one Friday and there was talk of having to do a Skype interview at a later date. I was scared to death of that Skype interview. LUCKILY, things worked out and Friday I got to go to campus and have my interview.
I was more excited about the interview than anything else. I felt accomplished. I mean, my batting average wasn’t that great two rejections to one acceptance but who cares! It was a big deal!
I knew there was still a chance of other options but I was perfectly content with where I was at. Then I received a letter from Miami. I had made their waiting list. I was stepping up from rejection! And the UCM contacted me for an interview. My interview at UCM just happened to be the day I was supposed to hear from UNL. I was sick all day! By 4:30 I hadn’t heard anything and almost broke down in my interview. The pressure was on. I had to nail this interview or I could kiss grad school goodbye.
I walked out of my interview at UCM feeling confident, well as confident as I could. Then I looked at my phone and realized I had a missed call from a Nebraska number. I called back immediately. I didn’t even think twice about the news being bad. Thank goodness it wasn’t! They wanted to offer me a position for Community College Recruitment through their College of Education and Human Sciences!! I was ECSTATIC! I had at least one option for grad school.
It was then though reality began to set in. I was going to have to move 4 hours away from my fiance. He still had a year and half left of his undergrad. Is that something I really wanted to do? I could feel myself getting sick again. I wanted to breakdown and cry but I couldn’t. I was still standing in the bathroom at UCM in the middle of my visit day for their grad program. AGGHHHH… life is NEVER EASY!
The next month I spent contemplating what I was going to do. Made pro and con sheets and still couldn’t decide. It wasn’t until April 15th, the deadline to accept/decline that position that I called and formally accepted. We had done the long distance thing once before and both decided we could make it work a second time.
Phewww… I knew I loved him for some reason. He supported me through it all and can tell we’re only going to be stronger from it all.
So now I’m here. Interning in the Student Activities Office at my undergrad to get more experience under my belt. My official journey starts in August when I move up to Lincoln! So enough about diehard dieting and exercising, my blog is going to be full of ME!
I’m all about trying new things and enjoying this roller coaster we call life! Why not document it?
Shanformation 