It’s the end of March, otherwise known as the most excruciating, adrenaline-fueled, and gut-wrenching time of the year for all senior students of America. It is the time our twelve years of education culminate with a nicely sealed envelope in our mailboxes (or in this day and age, a digital letter uploaded on applicant portals).
Sure, whether that envelope comes thick or thin, our lives will go on. We’ve heard enough from our parents, teachers, and counselors that we’ll enjoy our next four years wherever we end up, but that doesn’t change the fact that at many of the colleges we’ve applied to months ago, those single-paged rejection letters are queued to be sent to our home or email inbox in the next few days. And unfortunately, rejections can hurt. So in light of the admissions frenzy, here are some of great strategies that could help you cope with the anxiety of anticipation, and of course, the inevitable sadness that follows a rejection.
1. While waiting for your decision day, DON’T GO ON COLLEGE CONFIDENTIAL. College Confidential is not the most ideal forum to resort to venting your anxiety and frustration. College Confidential will be the go to place for many extremely qualified (and unbelievably so) candidates out there in the world who utilize the site to showcase all their magnificent accomplishments. People will be posting left and right about their admission decisions when you still curiously haven’t received yours yet. The site will only kill your confidence and diminish your hopes of getting into your dream college. You don’t need any of that.
2. Here’s another big “DO NOT.” Don’t post a countdown on your Facebook. Publicizing your anticipation inevitably builds others’ anticipation. When that countdown reaches 0 and the whole world knows you’ve received your long awaited decision to that college, people will talk about it, whether to you or between themselves. Needless to say, things can get quite awkward for you.
3. On the big day, make plans. It is never a good idea to spend the whole day curled up in your bed in a fetal position, madly clicking on that refresh button to see if the decisions have been uploaded. Make plans with a friend, preferably someone who isn’t waiting for a decision that day. Keep your mind occupied and distracted, and remind yourself that having fun is a freely given gift in life that doesn’t discriminate. Enjoy your company, who could congratulate you when you’re accepted, or console you when you’re not.
4. If you’re accepted, go celebrate. If you’re not, go to a theater and watch a movie. Ironically, a movie theater is one of the most ideal places you can enjoy your solitude. Once you’re inside, no eyes are on you since everyone is watching the movie. Take advantage of this and grab a flick of any genre. Use those two hours to sulk. Watching a movie while doing it will help you forget about it faster.
