<p>It was a dark and cloudy winter's day. Perched atop patches of snow on the ground from the last storm was a rickety Ford Taurus with its engine running and its driver's side door flung wide open. The passersby shook their heads at the inconsiderate fool of a driver and swerved around the piece of junk parked across the middle of the road. Those who cared to turn their heads would have probably seen a skinny girl of 5 foot 3 standing awkwardly in front a silver mailbox nearby. She stood on one foot, then the other, rolled up the sleeves of her sweatshirt, then pulled them back down over her fingers. A few steps there and a few steps back, eyes darting over and around and she seemed to be muttering to herself as she scratched the back of her neck.</p>
<p>I was running through every possible scenario. The post may not have arrived yet today - I'd open the latch and peer in to find only the dark insides of an aluminum mailbox: then I'd go home. The post may have arrived but the particular piece of mail I was looking for may not - I'd be washed over by an immense wave of disappointment only to find credit card bills in each of the little white envelopes: then I'd go home. I'd find a standard sized envelope addressed to me from "Massachusetts Institute of Technology" printed in little red letters each bearing bad bad news way too big for its little font to handle: then I'd go home eat ice cream and hate myself for a while. I could find a big envelope from MIT. I could find a big envelope from the University of Connecticut and a little one from MIT hidden right beneath it. My mailbox could be rigged to explode upon opening to add injury to insult. I could be hit by a raging asteroid whilst pacing back and forth and none of this would matter anyways. </p>
<p>I checked the sky once. All clear.</p>
<p>It's a beautiful little package, folks. Big white package that takes a bit of a struggle to free from its confines. I could see the staggered letters M-I-T printed in yellow before I even pulled it out which made the maneuver that much more difficult. There was laughing, there were tears, there were cellphone calls to parents and from friends, there was that bastard who blared his horn at my car and I waved him good day. And two days later there was my birthday. </p>
<p>A year later, MIT's birthday gift to me is not a happy package, but three finals. Not quite as exciting and immensely less fun but I'll take it. Kids, applying to, visiting, and choosing colleges is one of the most exciting times of your life. Yes, sure, it's important, and quite stressful at times, but goddamn it's a lot of fun. You'll settle into and fall in love with whichever school you ultimately end up in. And if not- there's always transfer admissions. Really- it may sound sadistic and terrible right now, but, really enjoy this period in your lives- everything that is new and exciting- and in the end, the decision will be yours where you spend the next 4 years of your life, not the colleges'. Just a little while longer. Chins up and best of luck to everyone.</p>