veniente

Oh my gosh, I truly abhorred the very little that I read of this book, which I'm totally prepared to admit is probably just me, because I am aware that it's universally loved and critically acclaimed. I read about five pages (highly untypical of me, but this, seriously, was all I could bear) and couldn't handle the (forced and failed) precociousness of the (deeply unfunny) narrative voice at all. I hated how explicitly (hamfistedly, even) fukú was being banged over my head, too. In fact, as I read, I began to feel physically ill, my irritation mollified only by turning my attention to how best to dispose of the book. Never before have I reacted to a book so strongly. I would genuinely love to know how/why people love it. Perhaps it's just that I didn't give it enough of a chance? (But maybe it's Díaz's writing; I read an inane New Yorker piece on Obama that he wrote, so bland and infuriatingly simplistic in its conclusions that I won't bore you with them here.)

I just assume that everyone has read The Great Gatsby; if you haven't, do, it's divine. Since you mention Hemingway, I would have to recommend The Sun Also Rises.

For me, this is one-time thing; there will be no reapplying next year. If I can't crack the 'top tier', then I'm out; my fatalistic outlook will read the rejections as a sign that 'it wasn't meant to be'. Not that I'm from the country, but I would encourage people to consider places in Australia like Uni of Mel. and Uni of Syd. (according to the latest QS World Uni Rankings in English & Lit. they are placed # 14 and # 17, respectively, while Times Higher Ed. ranks them both in the top 20 for arts/humanities). They offer one year research MAs and three year research PhDs; funding at each is the same for both programs - tuition fees paid plus US$25k per year stipend. Simple application procedure, no GREs or secondary languages required, and both are great cities. I got into MAs at both with funding, but decided for one elsewhere. I am more than happy to answer questions about studying in the Antipodes: universities/departments/faculty/applying et cetera.

Even from afar the impression is that they could do with some better candidates. I'm thinking long-haul driving/couriering of some variety (or short-haul, just doubt I could get gigs like Gosling does in Drive); if I am not granted the opportunity to put my 'intelligence' to 'use', I shall elect to spurn it.

THIS. First CD ever. Not much of an improvement on my first self-bought cassette: Celine Dion - The Colour of My Love. Wish I had had a cool older sibling pushing me on to REM, MBV, Nirvana and Pavement.

How about some ghostwriting? Nicely paid and it's definitely industry-related experience http://chronicle.com/article/article-content/125329/

Congratulations to everyone getting awesome offers to go to amazing schools! Just on the aforementioned matter of the GRE - I studied for three weeks straight (7+ hours a day) right before the Literature in English subject test. Took it in October - scored a disappointing 570. Kind of pathetic I thought, but I can live with it given that, barring Shakespeare, I've only ever taken courses in post-1920 literature, drama, and theory. To anyone considering ever doing the test, I truly cannot emphasise enough the importance of speed. I left more than 60 questions unanswered simply because I didn't work/read fast enough and found that it took me ages going from question paper to answer paper, ensuring I fully shaded in the correct little oval correlating to the correct question number (10 seconds per question wasted on this adds up). When you do your timed Princeton practice test make sure you tear out the answer sheet and practice shading in those stupid ovals as you complete it. I didn't do this; I simply made marks on the question paper, thus scored misleadingly high by completing in deceptively short time.

Argh, Duke English - my first rejection. The first cut isn't the deepest; however, the last cut will be if I go 0/12. I'm trying to forget my disappointment by thinking about what it would actually be like to live in Durham, NC.

Hey, congrats on your acceptance TripWillis. I too think Peace Corps would be cool, and definitely would consider it were I a US citizen. From my cursory research (earlier today), it would appear that Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and South Korea are decent destinations if one is looking to get a bunch of money/savings together. I'd much rather be somewhere like Portugal, Spain, Italy, or Turkey, but maybe it's time I started being 'responsible' and 'realistic'...

Definitely. This site is not good for my anxiety levels either, though in so many other ways it is great - especially the community. I'm already thinking about what do with my life when twelve rejections come through. GTA-ing a couple of courses 'til June, then nothing: the future as yawning abyss. I think I'll have to flee because of the shame; in hindsight, I wish fewer people knew I was applying! Perhaps I'll go teach English in some country where nobody knows me and nobody gives a damn.

My E30 318i. And (perhaps) my capacity to procreate.

THIS. Also, some nausea and what feels like a drop in life expectancy.

And again: I say YES to the impossibility of completing (or finding motivation to complete) an MA thesis while caught inside the gradcafe-email-alcohol cycle. So much time, effort, and money expended for such an unlikely (that is, statistically speaking) chance of 'payoff'. Hell is not other people. This Kafkaesque limbo is hell.

Joanna Newsom - " though my wrists and my waist seemed so easy to break still, my dear, I would have walked you to the very edge of the water and they will recognise all the lines of your face in the face of the daughter of the daughter of my daughter darling, we will be fine, but what was yours and mine appears to be a sandcastle that the gibbering wave takes but if it's all just the same, then will you say my name: say my name in the morning, so I know when the wave breaks? Electrifying.

Sigh. Back to the 0% Confidence of Acceptance thread.