Post-Submission anxiety.

[cokohlik]

I'm applying to 11 programs this year. So far, I've submitted 2 full applications and I gave all of my application materials a thorough overview for spelling errors/typos/etc. I even had my husband, in-laws and parents look over my materials for anything erroneous. We came to the conclusion a couple days ago that my materials were in great shape and I was ready to submit. I can't shake the anxiety that I'll go back and look at my freshly submitted applications and find some stupid spelling mistake or grave error (like calling Professor X a 'she' or something horrible like that!)

Any advice for getting over paranoid anxiety?

[LLajax]

Congrats cokohlik! Don't be anxious- think about it this way, you're ahead of the game. I'm applying to 8 schools and I'm somewhere in that gross middle slog, where' I've filled out all the easy stuff but have yet to do any of the hard stuff (SoP aaaagh). If you're afraid that you'll look back and see something you don't like (haha, kind of like that feeling you get when you read back over an old paper), just put them away when you're done and force yourself not to look at it. File away all the computer files to do with the done apps in their own separate folder so you can't think of them, take the links to the apps you've finished out of your site, so you have to go digging to find them (and maybe can catch yourself before you give in to the temptation?) Still you should feel great that you've already finished a few! I'm envious! I'm hoping to get my first one submitted around November (have to set the bar low enough that I can get over it).

[cokohlik]

Thank you so much Llajax! That's encouraging. I found that the manual data entry stuff went by rather quickly thanks to AutoFill. I took your advice and shoved all my written documents into a file folder and haven't looked at them since Saturday night. That's a long time for me Good luck getting your materials prepared! It's nice to 'meet' another art history buff

[butterfingers2010]

I submitted a couple of online applications (still working on the "second step" of sending additional materials) so I totally know how you feel! In my mind I keep going over things, thinking "what if I did this differently" or "what if I did that differently?" but at the end of the day all you can do is know that you did the best you could...the rest is pretty much up to fate. You should be proud that you're getting such an early start on things. There's always going to be a mistake somewhere, but most likely they are small ones...like not spelling a word correctly, etc. but you can't obsess over it because it will make you crazy, and nobody submits perfect applications. Case in point- one of my friends (who is in a PhD program this year) gave me her SOP as an example to use while working on mine. I laughed out loud when I saw that there were four or five words spelled incorrectly, because it's so typical of her to be a bad speller, but she still got in because she's such a talented lady otherwise. : ) You just have to learn to let things go, I guess.

When I am finally done with all my apps (which won't be soon, based on how long my LOR's seem to be taking) I am going to pack up all of my materials that I've used...all my SOP drafts, my checklists, notes,etc. and toss it in the recycling bin. Next, I'm going to go to the grocery store for a bottle of champagne, order some Chinese food, and spend the rest of the evening watching mindless TV and think about how happy I am not to be throwing pizza in the oven for "supper" while I am busy slaving over my applications. If you've been working on apps for a long time like I have, its hard to just let it go after all your hard work, but you have to somehow.

[newpsyche]

No no no, Jellybean24--don't throw them in the recycling bin! I know it's difficult for all of us now that we're nearing the "wait phase", but just imagine going through these materials--particularly our personal statements--in two, four, ten years! It will make us smile and reconsider all that we'll have done by then. You will be so proud.

I'm in the same boat as many of you...I've submitted 5 and am about to submit my last 6 (total of 11). I'm so terrified that I'll press "Submit and Pay" and then find a dozen things terribly wrong with my applications. When I say "terrified", I mean "definitely worthy of nightmares".

[Safferz]

I have 6 of 9 applications ready to submit (just the ones with additional assignments involved left, like a personal history statement... still need to do those), but I'm going to hold off on actually submitting everything until mid-November. I'm really not even sure why, but it doesn't feel right to send them off this early!

Edited October 31, 2011 by Safferz