Living out of Backpacks

A quick and friendly warning: I am totally zonked out right now. And I do not have my laptop with me. It is not a friendly morning.

So. CAN WE SAY CPW FOR THE ULTIMATE WIN?!? From Thursday to Sunday, so many adventures. Got to meet up with the brilliant Steph Lin and some of the people I'd met online through FB. I have blisters on my feet, that are so worth it. EC is love. Random is amazing. I got at most 13-14 hours of sleep over the four days, and I didn't even suffer from gmail-withdrawal. That is an accomplishment, dear.

On Saturday, there was a morning to visit my soon to be alma mater, Harvard. Yes, I love MIT. But I also love Harvard. They're both beautiful, and completely different. In the best possible ways. So I'll be in Cambridge this fall, for sure! It's an astounding feeling to just know where I'll be this fall. So happy. For where I am right now, in life, and for what I see in my future, this is the right decision. We'll see about grad school, eh, eh? *wink* Even though I am already dreading going through another school application process....AH!

Some hilights of my weekend:
French House food
Four attempted breakfasts in one day
Oppenheimer/POTUS
Pancakes at all times
Dumplings
JPLicks's white coffee ice cream [I seriously almost CRIED when I tasted this stuff. It was magical]
Being one of very few to meet at Black Hole. And see the city that now owns whatever of my soul is left.
Crashing...anywhere.

And now for something a little different:
Senior Retreat begins. This Afternoon. At 4:30.
I woke up super late and had 15 minutes to pack. Had so little time, I straightened my hair at school. A strange event. Anyways Needless to say, I am now wondering if I've packed everything I need to. This feeling resurfaced once I got to school and people were dragging suitcases...and I had a small backpack filled to the brim. Er. We'll see.

Though, I'm starting to think this sleep deprivation is good practice to keep for school next year.

--
avo

Wait, are we still waiting?

It's over, at last! Tomorrow marks my last official day of having a brain at school until exams. Last night, the college wait ended. I cried for an hour straight, having been accepted to the last two decisions I was waiting upon---Harvard and Yale. And now it should be apparent why I cried. Never knew tears of joy could occur so readily, and in such volume! So now, I think of the 7/7 [Yay-uh!] I know which ones I can start crossing off. Caltech, Gatech, and WUstL are all so beautiful, but financially speaking, they aren't so feasible. So MIT, Harvard, Yale, and UA. Time to get crack-a-lackin on an appeal letter to the first, continue to wait on the one from the second, get it officially from the third, and then make a decision about all four. It's such a...strange thing. To be waiting to be picked? And now. Finally. Getting a choice.

And being able to bring what I want to MY presentation tomorrow. I can understand not wanting to burden the parents by having them bring food for the other kids' presentations. But like my mom said, "If I'm going to bring food for someone else's presentation, it's gonna be some cheap ass cookies." Except without the ass. She doesn't curse. But it seems better like that. Yesss, tomorrow marks the finale of my career in the Russell Math & Science center. If I ever turn in the accompanying research paper...uh heh. It's on Square Sum Pair Partitioning. It's gonna be awesome. Just you watch.

Today was my last AIME. I remember the first one taken, back in 10th grade. Watching Buffy with my then crush. Who...will never know about this, of course.

Damn. It's finally over. The waiting for acceptances. Had no idea what to feel at 5:30 yesterday afternoon. I checked the email at school, saw that Harvard was a-waitin in my inbox, but I could see nothing else. And when I got home, I clicked it and scrolled. A huge smile took over my face and my eyes watered. Going to the Yale page, the bulldog picture was up and they started singing...And I yelled. Ran to my parents. And just cried and smiled and cried and smiled. Gods above and demons below. But I've been blessed. Worked hard. Had a little luck. Worked so hard... And now, it seems the future is bright. Fin Aid looking better and better from Yale, who seems to understand the plight of the middle class. What a crazy journey. And so I know now, that things are possible.

--
Avo