So I have this bad habit called hope

I really love Cornell.
Like really.

It has everything I’d like in a university and I know that after the transition, I’d be happy there.

But, as with all elite universities, even if I were to have a perfect SAT score, there will always be the possibility that I will not get accepted. I’ve applied under Early Decision so now all I have left to do is wait.

And wait. And wait.

Last year in my high school, two students were accepted to Cornell, so my peers (including myself) were given a little bit of hope, so there are 5 others in my class that are applying ED to Cornell.

Anyway, I’ve really just posted this to ask anyone if they have any tips for the waiting process. Like, how to make it bearable. I think I’m coming across as really dramatic here, but if anyone has any thoughts, I would really appreciate it. Thanks for much reading!

Do not take up biting your fingernails. It’s a pernicious habit and very hard to break.

Throw yourself into your senior year and get even more involved in all the activities you’ve been part of so far.
Find a new hobby. Learn to dance.

Don’t slack off. Don’t fret. [I know. Easy to say; hard to do. But it gets you nowhere.]

Haha I read this to my mom and she asked if I wrote it! Personally, I’ve just been trying to put all of my energy into school and being social. Also, my cheer competition is next weekend so that’s consuming my life, and after that I’m going to focus on running. Working out definitely helps because it gets rid of my stress and afterwards I’m too tired to stress. I doubt all of this is applicable but hopefully something helps! Good luck!

Make sure you are ready to send in your other applications if you aren’t accepted. If that happens, the turnaround time will be tight, and with the holidays coming up, you could find yourself in a real scramble to get you and your GC aligned for the next step. You won’t know how you’ll feel, but it could keep you from doing your best on essays, etc. AND who knows, while you work on those apps now, you might conclude that while those schools are not your top choice, they’re not so bad either. I can think of worse things than “wasting” time on apps you didn’t need because you got into your ED school.

And don’t slack off in school! If you’re deferred, you want to be able to show that you’re knocking it out of the park your senior year!