Little Havana again. I find myself here more often — frequently by surprise. Jorge, Mike, and JHR are all against me. Always.
I notice that I adopt an uncharacteristic meekness in the law library. Like a third grader dutifully doing his homework after his parents just lit up on him about a report card. Hm.
Law library: fluorescent lights and the scratch of highlighters. The humbling, pious studying of the 1Ls – me in a year?
There’s that distraught-looking student at the corner table. With his squirrel-like nervousness, wincing at every sound. And his slight twitch – probably the coffee, or whatever he’s on…
…and his dingy laptop, ever-humming in a pool of highlighted photocopies and books that spread in all directions, like mold, or the lava of a volcano. Me in a year? If so, where?
Appland — Teach for America app, law school apps, and a personal statement that’s kicking my ass and not even worth it anymore.
I want to move to Minneapolis.
“My feelings are hurt and I just need to be mad about this for five more minutes before I’m over it. After that I’ll be fine. But for these five minutes I’m a parakeet and my feathers are ruffled,” I said. It was hard to resist the urge to crumble up my personal statements and beam the nearest architecture student with them.
But that would be mean.
The guy at the writing center said that my personal statements sucked and I was pissed because he was right.
Try, try again.
Insured Jantop today. $380, for three years. So worth it. That’s Allstate’s Stand.
I reread more of Trollope’s biography today. He published three triple decker novels before his breakthrough novel. This just reinforces my patience.
I also have most of my UM law and FIU law applications done. My personal statement will be done in the morning.
While on the topic of Victorian literature (and grad school/futures) – I found this this post horribly interesting. The thought of future students, colleagues, or some bodiless committee reading entries from my undergraduate days is amusing. It’s like I’m creating a time capsule.
I’m not horribly worried about how I present myself because I’m not convinced that anyone would read years worth of posts. Dr. Burstein even mentions that most people get overwhelmed by the sheer volume of posts and don’t bother to read past the first page.
Also, an academic career is (daily) becoming a more attractive prospect.
The law school applications are still going to be done by the end of the week though. Law professor? History? English? The possibilities are exciting.
Decisions and actions – I’m finalizing my list of graduate schools, registering for the GRE, and writing my personal statements and essays.
Triple threat – I’m applying to law schools, Creative writing MFA programs, and a history masters program. The law school applications will be done on Sunday. I’ll have them reviewed by the writing center on Monday and hopefully can have everything save the recommendation letters in by Wednesday.
Then the law school application process is out of my life and the next two months are for the masters applications.
I reread Trollope’s biography today. It was a great read freshman year and it’s even more relevant now.
My favorite desk in the Law library is the one on the fourth floor right by the elevator. I had claimed it since 11am this morning. An elderly lady with bright blue eyes approached and asked me how I was.
“Fine, and yourself?”
“Good. Studying hard?” she asked, her voice cracking a bit.
“Yes,” I lied.
“Oh you poor soul.”
“It’s not that bad,” I said, “my last final is tomorrow.”
“Oh so you’ll be done with all your final exams tomorrow? Your last one?”
“Yes.”
Her elevator came.
“Oh, that’s good then. I’ll say a special prayer for you.”
I thanked her and said goodbye as she disappeared into the elevator. I then closed my laptop, and went back to my much-neglected textbook.