What were you doing when you received your acceptance?

[jocorac]

It was around 10:30am.. My phone went off with an email notification. Checked my phone and saw at least 4 emails(one to check the portal, the other from the DGPs and Public History Director) from the school saying "Congratulations...". Checked my online portal and started screaming when it said "ACCEPTED". Funny how they had sent 3 of them prior to that, but it didn't wake me up until the very last email! 

[lafry]

I woke up early on a saturday and checked me phone to see an email saying to check the status of my application, and I saw I was accepted! The email was sent at 2:30am so it was very strange, but still relieved at my first grad school acceptance! 

[BooksUponBooks]

After a series of weeks of having nightmares where I get rejected, I finally received my acceptance while I was hunched over my laptop, clicking around the internet in boredom! Not very glamorous, but I saw the email and started trembling and crying LOL found it hard to think about anything else for the rest of the day.

[Kingsouth]

I was ironing a shirt getting ready for a funeral. Phone went off with the acceptance offer. 

[neonlily]

I was at work and had been checking the portal a few times every day even though no I had no idea when acceptances would come out. I saw my status had changed from Pending to Accepted! I started crying a bit at my computer and of course my supervisor was coming to talk to me right at that minute and asked what was wrong haha

My acceptance to another program a few years ago happened while I was at the store grocery shopping. I had set that email to notify me with vibration and noise and when it started going off I almost had a panic attack. When I saw it said "Congratulations!" I started crying and immediately called my parents from the frozen foods section.

[PsychedSloth]

Mine wasn't all that exciting. I was working multiple jobs over summer and my phone kept vibrating, but I couldn't answer it while I was helping people. It vibrated a few more times, so I knew I'd have a voicemail, but the acceptance email came while I was talking to my supervisor and I screamed. She asked me what happened and I told her I got into graduate school. She was excited for me because I'm a first generation student.

[BigBen_96]

Just received my first acceptance Wednesday!

I was watching Netflix before class, saw an email and opened it. Was shocked and excited!! 

Immediately called my parents, best friend, etc. I'm on cloud 9. Not sure if I'll take it as still have more interviews, but regardless I'm going to grad school to get my Ph.D. in Biochemistry!!!

 

[Tyedyedturtle91]

Like many people, I was just sitting at work, obsessively checking my email when a notice to check a portal came through. I could hardly contain myself. I practically ran out of the office to find a private place to call my husband and my dad. My husband works for the government and was onsite at the time, so I couldn't get through to him. I called my dad, and realized I was like yelling into the phone, haha. I had to make myself quiet down.

Then, as stupid as it might sound, I went to the bathroom and sat in a stall and cried. I cried for like fifteen minutes, and I "talked" to my mom, who passed away in 2015. Just said how grateful I was and how much I wished she was here to tell. When I went back to my desk, I realized there was another page to the offer letter, and it was a decision for some funding. I was so happy and surprised.

I feel immense relief to know this is actually happening. Good luck to everyone out there! Keep faith. <3

[Prosecco_dreams]

I was sitting in bed watching TV (am in the UK so east coast afternoon is my evening) , when I checked my email and saw a wonderful personal congratulations message from their head of graduate studies. Was walking on air for 24 hours after! ?

[Peasy]

Was in a meeting at work, got back to my desk about 5 mins before it was the end of the day.  As I was saving my stuff I decided to check my portal quickly and there it was.  Quickly looked at the letter and then headed home.  It was a nice surprise because it was the end of the day and I checked about 2 hours earlier and nothing.

[Psych.dsd]

I was at the interview day at another school! Five minutes before the first interview, I went to the restroom, and got my phone to turn it off. There was a unread email; it was the acceptance from one of my dream programs!

[Isocrates2.o]

I wake up this morning having dreamt about receiving "the good news" from my #2 school, Miami University, which supposedly has been sending out acceptance letters in recent days. I walk over to my desk and open up my email to a message from the graduate director of my #1 program, Clemson, informing me of my admission. 

WOW. Best way to find out, hands down. 

[synapticcat]

For the first one, I was in the middle of the produce section comparing broccoli crowns....excitedly answered, then excitedly called my mom and dad, all while still in the store. For the second one, I was in the middle of the first meeting of my senior capstone seminar. Saw the area code and ran out to answer the phone, then hurried back and had to pretend nothing exciting had happened! What makes it worse is that a grad student from school #1 that I met over interview weekend is guest lecturing in my course and was there when I was accepted to school #2. 

Edited February 9, 2018 by synapticcat

[Archaeodan]

Omg...after getting nothing last year, the fact that I get to post in this thread is EVERYTHING.

I was  going into my POI's office for the second time that day at the end of 8hrs of interviewing with a different prof every half-hour, so I was beat and just thinking that this was the culmination big interview/maybe decompression debrief? Nope. I come in and the grad adviser is sitting there with my POI with a manila folder on the table between them. I sit down, we do debrief a bit, and then grad adviser opens the manila folder saying, "We were really impressed by you and we'd be really happy to have you here. You're the first person we've accepted this year, and we're doing so ahead of hearing back from the grad office, so we apologize for the low funding offer. It will go up. Do you have any questions?". 

Yeah, no, I had no questions. I had tears. And a voice squeaking up 18 octaves while I tried to thank them. They laughed, so that's good. They know I'm a hot mess right out the gate. Good they know before they get false expectations. 

 

(NB: that first funding offer was NOT low, still way more than I'm making now, and it has since gone up 1.5x thanks to a merit fellowship so that's...something...omg) (found out about that today while at work and cried in my office right before a meeting with my boss...good times)

[rooguild]

I got my first acceptance phone call while sitting down to breakfast at a restaurant with my partner. I took the call outside, came back, hugged him, and had to pack up my food right away because I was too excited to eat. 

Got my second acceptance on Valentine's Day, at work, via email, from a school that I did not expect to get into *at all*. 

It's a huge deal for me because I didn't get in anywhere last year, and this year, I applied to programs that were just as competitive. I was absolutely CRUSHED last year but used it as an opportunity to hone my intentions and increase my dedication. The lack of hubris honestly made me produce much stronger work. 

[IOnlyUseJetstreams]

I had just finished a round of ping pong with my roommate when he decided to get something in the other room.  I thought that this was the perfect time to check my email.  About a week earlier I had deleted my Gmail app from my phone because every email that came through gave me a mini heart attack.  So I logged onto my email on my browser app and there was an email from one of my schools and my heart dropped.  It was such a generic email like, "a decision has been made on your application."  I immediately went to the portal and clicked on the "decision" tab and it said "IOnlyUseJetstreams: Prospective Student."  So much was happening in my head that I said "what does that even mean?!" I clicked on it and it was my acceptance letter! I wasn't expecting a decision this early, let alone an acceptance, from this school, which was very much a reach school.

I then yelled at the top of my lungs and fell on the floor, which made my roommate run into the room like I was just killed.  Cue calling my entire family with the news.  It was my first decision and it was an acceptance!

[QuantumCondor]

I was on a break during a rehearsal for the Super Bowl halftime show, trying to be sneaky and check my email since phones weren't allowed. Right after hearing, well, I went back down and continued rehearsing, but a little more relaxed and comfortable than I was before.

[timetobegin]

I just had a ~feeling~ that I would hear something that Friday. I have no idea why,  but I was so nervous that I was up until 4am before finally passing out. I woke up at 9:30am, having slept in, and started a mad scramble to get ready for work because I needed to be on campus at noon. I was about halfway through my routine when I remembered to check my email... and there was a letter from my POI, asking me to give her a call.

I panicked hard, because I figured she would have said something over email if I was accepted. So I phoned her, assuming me the worst...and she told me I was admitted! I was so excited that I just kept saying "Thank you so much!" in various tones, haha. Hopefully they're used to that.

And then I TA'd for four hours with a giant smile on my face. My students probably thought I was nuts (especially since they were writing a midterm...), but it was a great day.

 

Edited February 17, 2018 by timetobegin

[wheresmysnow]

Like @timetobegin I had some intuition that the week was going to be a good one. I was rocking out to musicals and having fun at work, but I didn't expect anything on Monday because of the time difference. Maybe at the earliest in the middle of the night between Monday and Tuesday. So I got home late on Monday and was doing my normal routine of feeding the cat, eating, watching Netflix, etc when I saw I had an email. I opened up Gmail and saw the word "admission" in an email title from the DGS of one of my top choices. I was so excited I started shaking and it was truly difficult to sleep that night. 

at k

I sent texts and messages to everyone I knew to celebrate. This was my second round of applications and after 7 straight rejections the last time, I didn't have a lot of hope, but at least knew I had better at least a better chance. It never seemed like enough though. I'm just happy to have a place to go in the fall now. Time to start planning moving!

[emjayco]

On 2/9/2018 at 12:17 PM, Psych.dsd said:

I was at the interview day at another school! Five minutes before the first interview, I went to the restroom, and got my phone to turn it off. There was a unread email; it was the acceptance from one of my dream programs!

On 1/22/2018 at 5:20 PM, surprise_quiche said:

Leaving to go to an interview at another school, definitely a confidence booster

Mine was so similar to these - but more in the tongue tied manner! I had reserved conference room at work and was anxiously waiting for my phone interview for a program high on my list when I randomly re-checked my number one school's portal. It has changed to Admitted since I had checked it an hour earlier. I coudl not believe it, and I couldn't express words. My interview was in 5 minutes and I was without words. It was a huge confidence booster, but also, I was so flustered I completely brain farted on the interview I was called into. It did not go very well as I was so frazzled...oops. Oh well I guess!

[MsJaFall2018]

Honestly, I was in the middle of a 50 Shades of Gray marathon viewing party with friends.  I glanced at my phone during a particularly ridiculous scene, and I SCREAMED.  Excellent timing, universe. 

[misuny]

Currently sitting at a temp job where I feel like my brain cells have been slowly disintegrating. Opened up the portal, ran outside and called my sister, happy tears happy tears, and now I'm back at my desk feeling suddenly alive. Texted my friend who lives in Michigan and told her I'M COMING TO VISIT MY POTENTIAL NEW HOME.

[Oklash]

I was at Starbucks. As I was ordering, I got a call from the University of Alabama! The director congratulated me and read a few comments made on my application while I was trying not to cry in the middle of the coffee shop. From now on a vanilla latte with almond milk will always be my lucky beverage 

[cochra13]

It was about 5.00pm on a Friday night and I had just finished microwaving a box lasagna, pouring myself some wine, and setting up a movie. I had literally just taken my lasagna out of the microwave when I got the acceptance call from my POI for Clinical Psychology. First, I cried hysterically for a while. Then I called all of my closest family and friends. They all thought someone had died because I could hardly get words out through my tears of happiness. Then I was told by my loved ones to throw out my box lasagna and to meet them downtown for a celebratory supper and drinks in 1 hour; and that's just what I did!  

[kitcassidance]

I was at work, on the phone with a participant, when my Inbox changed from "Inbox" to "(1) Inbox."  I opened it -- because I can multitask, alright? That's why you hired me, remember, *boss*?  I was still actively engaging in this phone conversation -- and saw an e-mail saying "Your Admission Decision is Available."  My heart dropped.  I thought for sure this meant rejection.  Even the place I am currently waitlisted gave me a courtesy telephone call.  Decision via portal clearly meant rejection.  I immediately closed my inbox, and tried to keep from crying while I spoke to my participant for another thirty-four agonizing minutes.  When she hung up, I took a deep breath, let myself cry a little, and opened the portal.  Skimmed for words, shortish letter, skimmed some more -- "CONGRATULATIONS!"  Cried some more, happy tears this time.  As it was already 4:30, I checked in with my coworker, cried even more, hugged, and we each clocked out a few minutes early to celebrate with mimosas (hold the OJ. I guess that's just called champagne everywhere else in the country).