Failboat

Sorry folks for the lack of updates recently, but I had been busy. For those of you who don’t know, I’m currently a Senior in High School. Around this time of the year, one particular issue becomes the center of occupation for all of us. College Application.

If you are lucky enough to be accepted on your early decision, then you are home free; however if you’re not, then you’ll have to go through the rigorous schedule of balancing your grades out with Regular application.

How do I tie into this?

Ever since I was a little kid, I had just one dream, to go to an Ivy League school. At the time it seemed farfetched, and even now I still do not believe that I have the intellectual maturity to be part of such an elite group of scholars. But I tried my hardest nevertheless, forever reaching out to that dream.

Well, everything that I’ve worked for in the past several years all culminates into a singularity. I made my bid for my choice of college and submitted my application. That was the beginning of November, and pretty soon afterwards, I settled back into the mundane lifestyle that I was so accustomed to. Nagging at me from the back of my mind however was the constant reminder that whether or not I get accepted into the school of choice that I’ve applied to, my life would be changed on that mid-December day when the decisions come out.

December 10th, yesterday, changed my life. For the whole week prior to this fateful day I had dreamed, several times, that I would find a letter on my front porch with a single red rubber-stamped word – “Rejected”. It was hell for me. I was not at all happy to have to face such a life-altering event. My mind was constantly preoccupied with the early decision that I had submitted. I again and again questioned myself on the prudence of applying for a college so far above my intellectual capability. I couldn’t concentrate, I begin to miss subtle patterns within life, and before long, I became dangerously absorbed into my obsession.

Yesterday, I decided to bail. I couldn’t take the pressure any longer, so I just got out my keys and drove away. For two hours, I bathed myself within an aura of silence aided by the drift of the jolly Christmas music. For two hours, I endured a siege of internal emotions masked as silent contemplation. But not even in paradise could Dante find peace, and neither I. The gates broke, and my curiosity got the best of me. I turned around, I couldn’t run any further, and I realized that for better or for worse, I have to face my future.

By the time that I had gotten back, it was already dark outside. I pulled up the driveway and got out. I walked to my front door and there it was, right on the middle of the porch, a crisp, white envelope. No rubber-stamped word, no ominous greeting, just a plain envelope. It was a letter from my choice of college addressed to a Mr. Gao. I casually tucked it in my jacket and went inside, closing the doors on a harsh, cold winter night. And inside the house, a single light flickered on.

That was the story of my life.

So did I get accepted?

Liyuan Gao
Houston TX 77096-2303
USA

Dear Liyuan:

Congratulations on your acceptance into the College of Engineering at Cornell University! We are very pleased to be welcoming you to the Cornell Class of 2014.

Very soon, you will receive your official letter of acceptance from us in the mail.

In the meantime, we want you to know that we are excited at the prospect of your joining the Cornell community and know that you will make a very positive contribution to the university as a future Cornellian.

Best regards,

Doris Davis
Associate Provost
Admissions and Enrollment
Cornell University