The day had to come sooner or later.
I got rejected from Middlebury.
I’ve always had this romantic notion of going to college, applying to college, etc. Thick envelope, good. Thin envelope, bad. Checking online before you get either of said letters, as unromanticized as it gets.
When the time came last saturday to decide whether to check online or wait for the ominous letter, stressed-out-over-acheiving-white-girl mode commenced. I told myself that I’d wait until the following Monday, so that I could finally get the “admissions letter of boundless romance” moment to myself. I commend myself for waiting until Wren, Nicole and I finished watching ”Pee Wee’s Playhouse” at 9 o’clock on Saturday to check. I’m a trooper.
On Monday I received two bits of news: 1. I probably have a bald spot on my head from pulling my hair out and can now pass as a Costanza look-alike. 2. All of the smart people at Middlebury have made a technological breakthrough; they have created the thinnest rejection letters of all time.
Seriously, trust me. Kate Moss is fuming at how thin this entire letter and envelope are. I stood stupefied at how shockingly thin it was that I forgot my own disappointment. This letter really did stand up to the old fashion cliche of the whole traditional ” open-up-the-mai-lbox-ooh-yay!thick-envelope-ideal-tv-sitcom-picture-you’ve-painted-in-your-head”. My eyes began to glaze over and I actually began to laugh at this stark little envelope.
I did little experiments with the letter. I timed how long it took to float to the ground. I dropped an apple and the envelope at the same time to see which one would hit the ground first. I pretended to be that one scientistthat dropped all of the random objects off the top of his roof to test his theories on gravity. Galileo? See, that’s why I didn’t get into Middlebury. I can’t even remember who dropped the apples. Admitted kids probably answer questions like that in their sleep. And quantum physics. And compose 8-part harmonies. I mean, if 8-part harmonies are even possible.
Being a senior in high school, nearly everyday we’re all confronted with the same question:
“Where are you going to college?” , they ask in a sing-songy voice.
I kind of zone out for a bit, when asked that question. I envision myself doing fire dances around my rejection letter in tribal war paints, a headress, and a straw skirt, cursing it.
I end up wanting to laugh at the question. In my head I’ve already created a joke out of my rejection. It’s really only been a week and it’s really a non-issue for me. The other day I hit my head getting out of my mom’s car and all I could say was ” That’s why I didn’t get into Middlebury! I just lost 10,000 brain cells!”, as I say when friends and I play the “That’s why you’re single game”. When I forgot to close the garage door and it was open all night , I chortled and chanted “That’s why I didn’t get into Middlebury”.
I really can’t be mad or sad at their decision. In a way it makes me excited as I really have no idea where I’m going . Nothing’s definite and anything can happen.
The only thing I know that is definite is that Middlebury’s quidditch team is going to suck without the addition of a particular awkward, white girl…
… and that rejection letter origami is mighty fun.
What was your college application experience like? Where were you accepted? Where were you rejected?
I just google searched “I didn’t get into Middlebury” and this is what came up, because 10 minutes ago, I checked their website and received the online equivalent of a pathetically thin envelope. I really wanted to go, too. Now I’m waiting for the letter, just so I can make origami with it. That’s a fabulous idea. That sort of creativity alone should have gotten you in!
Oh, man! I almost forgot I had this blog! Thanks for your comment
Isn’t that the worst? Yeah, when I found out, it wasn’t my finest moment. I had JUST bought a Middlebury sweatshirt and everything. Now it’s just kind of ironic and hilarious 
Hahaha, thank you! I really do suggest doing a bunch of hilarious things with your letter, it takes the sting away. And ten years down the line, Middlebury will regret not letting you in, I’m sure of that!
Where do you think you will end up going? In retrospect I think Middlebury would’ve been such a terrible match for me, but my senior year self would’ve been so disappointed to hear me say that! What do you think you want to major in? Sorry, I’m always really curious about that stuff!
Haha, no I agree: doing something creative with the rejection letters is key to getting over it. I’m thinking of making a collage of all of them.
I still haven’t heard from three schools (Williams, Tufts, and Kenyon… my top three), so I haven’t decided yet. If I don’t get into any of those (oh god), it looks like I’ll either be headed to Lewis & Clark or maybe Smith. I think Middlebury would have been a good match, but it’s okay– all the other schools I applied to (i.e., Bates, Bowdoin, Lake Forest) are all pretty much exactly like Middlebury, haha. I have no idea what to major in, but I know it’ll be humanities-based. English, maybe, or art history. Definitely nothing involving quantitative reasoning. If you don’t mind me asking, where did you end up?