I like this thread! It's nice to hear everyone's stories..
But I'm going to tell the story of when I was notified that I had landed an interview with one of my top 3 schools. It had been over 2 months since my first applications were due and I was so sick of waiting to hear back. Honestly, I was at the point that I didn't even care if it was a rejection, I just wanted to hear something, anything!
Anyway, it was Valentine's Day and I was on campus waiting around after work until my afternoon class. But I had decided to skip class because I wasn't feeling well and I didn't want to be on campus (3 years ago, there was a shooting at my school on Valentine's day and it was just a strange and sad day) so I headed home. When I got home, I laid down on the couch hoping some 30 Rock would take my mind off things. After a few episodes of 30 Rock, I randomly checked my email and there is was.. an email with something in the subject line about "Women's and Gender Studies"... I didn't even read the whole subject line because I was so impatient to read the email.. I read the first two sentences and discovered that I had been invited to an on-site interview!! I was in awe, I almost didn't even apply to this program because I was sure that I wouldn't get in. I jumped up and down, screamed a whole bunch and did a little happy dance with my dog (she was not amused that I had woken her up from her nap). I then yelled "ME!" and "they want ME!." Then I immediately called my sister and left her a (I'm sure, an insane) message. I then called my other sister who happened to be pulling up to my house. When she got to my house we did another little happy dance together and celebrated with Jimmy Johns.. hahaha. So I interviewed the next week and got an email two days later telling me that I was accepted! I was ecstatic!
A few days later, I ran into my neighbor who lives above me.. When he saw me he congratulated me on getting an interview at Austin. Hahahah, he said that he was worried that something terrible was happening to me but in between my celebratory "oh my gods" and jumps he was able to make out "interview" and "Texas" and knew it was good news. Hahahaha.