Saturday, 15 December 2007

• HOLY MOTHERS I JUST GOT INTO MIT.

  OH. MY. GOD. I'M GOING TO MIT.
  
  Wow, just... wow. I'm still shaking  from finding out and it's been almost 9 hours.
  
  9 hours? But Shannon, you were at work almost-9-hours ago.
  
  Well, semi-anonymous audience, while that may be true, Ben Jones is amazing and it didn't even matter. So without further ado, here is why I just had the best day ever-
  
  I worked at PetSmart today from 11-7, right? So, it's 11:23 (I know this because I like nerdy times like that), and I'm just wandering around putting stuffed dog-like-santa-creatures away when a woman I work with comes up to me.
  
  HER: Hey, I think you have a hold on park 21.
  ME: Seriously?
  HER: Yeah, the other Shannon isn't in today.
  ME (thoroughly confused): OK. How do I get a call off park?
  (she explains it to me, and I pick up the phone)
  ME: Hi, thank you for calling PetSmart, this is Shannon speaking, how may I help you?
  MYSTERIOUS MAN ON THE OTHER LINE: Hi, this is Ben Jones from MIT Admissions. How are you?
  ME (thinking: OH MY GOD): Oh, um, I'm doing good. How are you?
  BEN JONES: I'm doing pretty well. Well, I know you're working right now, but it didn't really seem fair for you to have to wait until 7 to get your decision. (I'm just thinking: shit, he is not seriously calling me at work to defer me, is he? This sucks). We aren't going to let you go to Chicago next year.
  ME: (almost awkward moment of silence) Wait... oh my god, I got in? Oh my god! Oh my god! (repeat through entire conversation)
  BEN JONES: (I kind of forget what he said here. Sorry, Ben. It was something along the lines of....) I assume we'll be seeing you at CPW?
  ME: Heck yes! (I'm not allowed to swear at work) I've only been wanting to go for years. It's only been on my calender for years. (To Ben- yes, I remembered this line and conciously chose to edit it for the sake of not sounding like a nutcase, but since you insisted on reminding me of it...)
  (5 seconds of filler conversation)
  ME: Wait, how did you find me?
  BEN JONES: Well, I saw you were working from 11-7, and I read your application, so it was pretty easy to find the number.
  ME: Ah.
  BEN JONES: Well, go freak out and scare some puppies or whatever it is you do there. Congratulations.
  ME: Wow, thank you so, so much!
  
  And with that, I got into MIT. How's that for a story? (And Ben, if you're reading this, I apologize for completely slaughtering this conversation. You're awesome.)
  
  So of course, I ran around the store telling people that knew I had applied to MIT that I just got in. The Best Reaction Award goes to one of my managers, Tiffany, who, when I told her, replied "Oh. What's that?"
  
  After this bit of running around and scaring kittens (unfortunately, we didn't have any puppies in the adoption center today), I ran to my boss, Tony, and asked him for a 5 minute break to call my mom because "I JUST GOT INTO MIT!" At this point, I'm still shaking, and to be perfectly honest, I really don't think he knew what MIT was either.
  
  Anyways, so I run to the break room and call my mom, and then I start crying and she's crying and one of my other managers (thinking back now, why were all these managers at work at the same time?), Don, comes and pats me on the arm and leaves me be. Then I call my dad, who thankfully does not induce tears and instead says he'll check to make sure that I actually did get in and it wasn't just someone playing a practical joke.
  
  Anyways, so at this point I still have over 7 hours left on my shift, so I head back to man the cash registers and my parents show up around 1 with my decision letter printed out. I just kept taking it out and grinning the rest of the afternoon.
  
  Best. Day. Ever.
  
  

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