Get ready for some exciting news...

My iPhone holder came in the mail today!!! It's red and it holds my iPhone perfectly while I run, so that I can track my run times, take pictures, listen to music, make calls, all conveniently at once! :D Score!!!

ALRIGHT, of course even more exciting is the fact that...

I AM ACCEPTED TO COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY'S SCHOOL OF INTERNATIONAL AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS (SIPA), GRADUATING CLASS OF 2013!!!

Columbia University is my dream school, not only because it's the only school that offers a Dual Degree Journalism Master of Arts program, as well as the Masters in International Affairs, combining two subjects that I love!!! Oh, and did I mention that it's in New York City, the city I was BORN TO LIVE IN?!?

Here's how it happened:

I woke up naturally at 7am in the morning on Monday, and for some reason I felt extremely refreshed and awake, which NEVER happens. I'm NOT a morning person, just ask Mike who puts up with me every morning when I wake up and yell, "WHYYYYY?!?!?" and then snooze the alarm 10 times at random intervals. ANYWAY, I had a teeny tiny feeling that admission decisions for SIPA were going to come out today... it's that intuition thing I was talking about. But probably also because I've been waiting for decisions to come out since last week!

It was an EXTRA slow day at work. Hmmm... uneventfulness contrasting the upcoming ruckus?!?

BAM! 3pm hits and I get an e-mail saying decisions were posted online, and to check the website. I almost give myself a heart attack, literally. I was on the phone with Mike, and for 10 minutes I refused to open the file, and I asked Mike at least 50 times, "But what if I didn't get it? What will I do?!? What will happen Mike?!? What should I do? Should I open it?!?" "Do you want me to check it for you?" "NO!!! NO WAY!!!! I'M CHECKING IT!!! ...BUT WHAT IF I DON'T GET IN?!!!"

I finally summon the courage to open the file, and it takes me about 30 secs to coherently read the letter and register:

3/3/2011

Dear Stephanie Chang,

I am pleased to offer you admission to the Master of International Affairs (MIA) program at the School of International and Public Affairs for the Fall 2011 term. This year’s applicant pool is of extraordinarily high quality and you can be justifiably proud of your opportunity to enroll. Your offer of admission is for full-time study only and you will be required to maintain full-time enrollment throughout your course of study.

On behalf of the SIPA community, I extend our congratulations and wish you great success in the pursuit of your graduate degree. As a new SIPA student you will join an exceptional group of talented and motivated individuals from around the world focused on acquiring advanced training in international affairs and public policy. We look forward to welcoming you into this distinguished community.


Sincerely,


Matt Clemons
Director of Admissions

YES, I WAS ACCEPTED!!!! That was followed by 20 minutes of continuous screams and heavy breathing and jumping up and down around my office walls. And then I ran to my car and called my mom and sister and screamed for about another 10 minutes. Then I went back to work, shut the door to my office, and screamed "eeeeeek!!!" to myself in the office for another 10 minutes.

I was pretty much exhausted for the rest of the day.

I feel completley back to normal today, as if nothing life-changing has happened at all. I think it's because, at the end of it all, I know that I am just a very, extremely, extremely lucky person. I wouldn't say that I'm more talented, intelligent, or "special" than any other person who has a dream they want to pursue. Maybe more enthused, that's all. I work hard for what I want, but I certainly do enjoy myself a lot too. In the end, I have nothing to feel but gratefulness, because I am extremely blessed and lucky. Maybe me being admitted was a fluke or glitch, but I wouldn't spend any of my time not exploring, pushing, maximizing all of the precious opportunities I've been given to their fullest potentials, and cherishing every moment of it. But I know that I am not any more deserving of a spot at Columbia as the next person who wants it, is.

In all honesty, I have some second thoughts about going to Columbia. For many reasons, including tuition, and the fact that the average student age is 27. ...not that I'm intimidated or anything PSH! What? You have 2 years in the Peace Corp under your belt and you started a non-profit sheltering and educating abused women in Afghanistan? ... Hmm does giving $5 to a homeless girl by the side of the freeway compete with that? All doubts aside, even though it's been my dream school for a whole year and a half, I am speaking to a bunch of different people and entertaining the possibility of attending a different school, in a different city!

Anyway, we'll see if I even have any other options! I'm getting ahead of myself :) I'm still waiting to hear back from every other program as well... But that was pretty exciting, huh?!