springsaquamarine

i remember seeing someone post in this forum a while back about dealing with the dissonance of receiving rejections when you have professors and mentors who really believe in you and told you you'd get in anywhere you want. i felt the same way, almost wishing they hadn't built up my confidence. well, today i emailed those professors and mentors to let them know i didn't get in anywhere this year, and i have received some of the kindest, most encouraging responses. i feel so bolstered by them in this shitty process. thanks to their confidence in me and my dreams, i know i'll have enough confidence in myself to try again next year.

disclaimer: i don't have answers about what is or isn't best practice! this is just my plan as it is looking like this year (my first year applying) is not my time. one of my top priorities for the next six months (other than finding a job... yay) is expanding my writing community. it's one of the things i was most hoping to get out of being in an mfa program. i was pleasantly surprised at how generative the last few months have been for me despite the horrors of waiting. so, game plan is 1. keep reading and keep writing 2. try my hand at applying for workshops and taking as many classes as i can afford and 3. really really prioritize making trusted relationships with writers i admire so i can have more eyes on my work AND read the writing of others because when i read the most is always when i am inspired to write the most. not a revolutionary plan but hopefully it'll still help a little to know what others who are planning on embarking on year two of apps are thinking/doing. tldr: i'm hoping i have a lot of new writing to present and to really refine and revise what already exists.

shoutout to all preemptively negatively impacted by UVA waitlists on draft LOL... right there with you! love ya! and also shoutout to all positively impacted! not with you but loving ya just the same

i was one of these lurkers who simply could not figure out how to get gradcafe to work for me. i read every. single. post. and have just been locked out of adding to the discussion. today, i shit you not, my cat walked on my keyboard in such a way that the inspect code thingy (i am so tech illiterate i have to ask my lovely fiancée the software engineer a million computer questions a day) opened. i closed it and somehow... i can now comment! divine intervention through my cat (living up to her namesake hildegard von bingen). anyway... solidarity to posters and lurkers alike! 0a/0w/3r/3p and feeling.. not great! but i also feel very connected to everyone going through this frustrating process with hope in our hearts.