MmmNachos

I, too, laughed. I would have also accepted "O'Doyle Rules!"

@Branwen and Venetia, you both have very good points about applying from another country- as a US to US applicant, I hadn't really considered how baffling it might be to apply from elsewhere. And as you said- I sometimes find that reading the excessive worries of others inclines me to help rather than join in the madness. I suppose it's good to remember that there are people who get really helpful insight from gradcafe and not everyone utilizing the site it using it to obsess. Good luck to both of you on your applications, too!

Before I start, let me just say that I'm not judging anyone, and I certainly understand the draw to gradcafe. I stumbled across gradcafe looking for acceptance stats for the schools I was applying too, and I was excited to find a place where I could discuss grad schools with so many people who are in the same boat. But as a 2nd-round applicant, I can say that my perspective of the entire process was much healthier last year when I worried about my applications in the context of my life, rather than allowing myself to get caught up in the gradcafe environment where, due to stress and emotions, people blow things WAY out of proportion. Know what I did last year after sending applications? Forgot about them, because I knew I'd have to wait 2 months. And I didn't check my email every half hour, and I didn't read the results board to check if anyone from my program got accepted, and I didn't have a panic attack every time the phone rang. From what I read on this site, there are very few people on this site that have achieved that level of calm. I know there is a catharsis that occurs when you are able to discuss your fears and hopes with people in the same boat, but having constant access to a bunch of neurotic applicants only breeds more neuroticism. I have always known I wanted to go to grad school- I've worked extremely hard, and I was devastated last year when I wasn't accepted to the schools I wanted to attend. But last year I got through the application process through talking with a few friends in similar boats, and focusing on my work, friends, and family. After my rejections, it was much easier to realize it wasn't the end of the world, because I hadn't invested my entire self to the responses of the schools. A few people on this site have already realized that they need to take a few weeks off. All I'm saying is, maybe all of us should really consider how healthy it is for us to constantly ruminate with people when, at this point, it is out of our control.