finally.

Well....things have been busy. This past week was a really horrible week, emotionally, as I started to get really down about MFA programs, jobs, life, etc. I finally realized Hunter was not going to call, and I'm pretty sure UNC rejected me for their PhD. I was resigning myself to being rejected from every program, and was going to order some Chinese food last night to cheer me up when my cell phone rang. It was a 212 area code, and my heart started pounding. It was a professor at Columbia, asking me to join their MFA program in creative nonfiction. I almost had a heart attack. My heart was pounding and I was stunned speechless. I don't even know if I made sense at first. The professor laughed and said these acceptance phone calls pretty much go like that at first. He told me about funding opportunities, gave me contact numbers, etc. I couldn't think of any questions to ask him, but have been thinking about it all weekend and will email him with some.

So, yeah. I was not expecting this call in any way. I only applied to Columbia because it's Columbia. I couldn't NOT apply. But I never thought I'd get in. I didn't even fill out all the financial aid because I was so sure I wouldn't get in. I mean, a quarter of the New Yorker's "20 Under 40" list got their MFAs from there. Most MFA programs have about 34 credits to finish the degree....Columbia has around 60. It's a shitload of work. But there's also internships, which would help with contacts for jobs and publishing.....I am still waiting on the New School's decision as well.

I have a lot to think about. I have to think about cost - tuition is prohibitively high - and living expenses, etc. But I also have to consider.....if I do not go, will I end up regretting that for the rest of my life and always wonder what if? I feel like this is a once in a lifetime opportunity and if I don't grab it.......