thebeatgoeson

Or Ryan Gosling. "Hey girl, you may be rejected from UF but you're totally accepted into my heart."

Lots of us on here have been told things like Chicago is deadly competitive/cutthroat, a "den of vipers," etc.  I wonder why so many of us hear things like this?  I think Chicago is really a top-notch place though, so I agree with your LOR writer.
 
 
 
Now imagine having no acceptances and only one waitlist--albeit a likely-to-convert one at an awesome school.  I'm extremely happy and excited to visit, but I keep worrying that I'll look like an idiot at the open house next month...

No! They'll appreciate it, and so will the people on their waitlist! I turned down several within a few days of acceptance.

I just got an email that I moved up on the waitlist!  Day made.  

WHAT THE FUCK I'M IN AT ROCHESTER NOW. WITH UNI FELLOWSHIP + STIPEND this is too much i'm going to drown myself in rum.

Yerp.

Verily.  Out of upvotes.  Grew up just outside of Morganton; Catawba Valley has really taken off in the last few years.  New Belgium's move to Asheville was really the icing on the cake for me.  Great to have one of the big companies there with ABC and LAB and so on.  I'll certainly miss the culture anywhere else.

O. Just wait listed at Ann Arbor.

I can ride my bike to half a dozen microbreweries without issue, and I'm not even in the beer capital of the state.
 
North Carolina.  Not the worst.

Or remote locations. The Appalachian mountains in NC have the best breweries in the state (opinion) so I think the connection here is: Locations in which people spend an inordinate amount of time indoors either due to inclement weather or boredom are best for brewing (and then enjoying) beer.
 
Now that we've heard from the Northeast, Oregon, Colorado, California, Michigan, and NC, are we missing any? Any good brewing going on in Austin? The Southwest?

Well, here's some good news for you.  Chapel Hill has a university-wide policy on the use of gender neutral language, so you'll be right at home there.

Well, here's some good news for you.  Chapel Hill has a university-wide policy on the use of gender neutral language, so you'll be right at home there.

I just e-mailed Maryland to ask if all of their acceptances have gone out. This is the response I got: "The admissions committee is still deliberating; students will be notified once the decision has been reached."

Recent article in the Economist on the singular "they":
 
http://www.economist.com/blogs/johnson/2013/01/grammar?fsrc=scn/tw/te/bl/singularthey
 
I don't use it really, but I like the idea of using the singular "they" as a gender neutral alternative precisely because it's plural, as it seems to point to the plurality of gender identities. Grammatically it still sounds a bit awkward to me, but I do like the idea of it.

Gradually, indeed.  For now, the footnote still seems necessary.  It's frustrating that we still have to distinguish between academia and queer-friendly spaces.  I always make my first-year writing students learn them (and strongly suggest that they use them) in hopes that there will be some sort of ripple effect down the line.

Gradually, indeed.  For now, the footnote still seems necessary.  It's frustrating that we still have to distinguish between academia and queer-friendly spaces.  I always make my first-year writing students learn them (and strongly suggest that they use them) in hopes that there will be some sort of ripple effect down the line.

Oh hey, rejection from Chapel Hill.  Good morning to ya.

Good point Keely.  If someone wants to use "they," that's hir choice, and ze just needs to be aware of the rhetorical repercussions of that choice.

Good point Keely.  If someone wants to use "they," that's hir choice, and ze just needs to be aware of the rhetorical repercussions of that choice.

I decided many years back to be more gender-sensitive in my pronoun usage. However, and this may sound odd to many, I feel more uncomfortable these days using "s/he" than using "he." After becoming acquainted with those who identify outside of the gender binary, "s/he" now doesn't strike me as particularly gender-neutral anymore, since it presupposes a gender binary. But gender-neutral pronouns are still incredibly awkward to use.
 
In conclusion, now I just practice English gymnastics in order to avoid pronouns altogether if necessary. Or I just go with the singular "they" if I must, but never without wincing.

In at Loyola Chicago! YAY!

Already reached my upvote quota for the day.  
 
i_brought_you_an_upvote_by_sooyou-d4nfitt.png

OH MY GOSH YOU GUYS
 
JUST ACCEPTED TO UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
 
FREAKING OUT

Dear Dr. _____:
 
My name is Katia-chan and I am an applicant to the University of BFE English Ph.D. program this year.  I am sorry to bother you at what I'm sure is a very busy time, but I was wondering if you could advise me when I might expect to hear back from the admissions committee about my application?
 
Thank you for your time.
 
Katia-chan
 
And leave it at that.  If they get back to you, they get back to you, and if they don't, just let it be.  One polite email would never tip the balance against you and if the DGS has a set schedule, that kind of email should only take a minute or two to respond to.

I'm half asleep right now but also in at U of Maryland!