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MIT student blogger Hamsika C. '13

A Few Words by Hamsika C. '13

smile

I realize that some of you have been counting down to this day since what seems like forever. I know what that feels like.

When regular action decisions came out last year, I was at a debate tournament, with no access to a computer. A friend of mine had promised to let me use her Blackberry to check my decision, but just as the pivotal moment arrived, I couldn’t find her; she’d disappeared to go eat lunch at a nearby McDonald’s. I don’t think I’ve ever disliked fast food more.

After fidgeting for a good ten minutes, I decided to call home and get my mom to check for me. It took me a great deal of nerve to do that, to know that if I were to be rejected, my mom would see it first. But still, I called. And told her how to log in. And listened to her read the letter. And proceeded to hyperventilate in disbelief and happiness.

I’ve wondered before what my life would be like if I hadn’t gotten into MIT and hadn’t chosen to come here. I believe it would have worked out fine: I would have still gone to college, made new friends, learned to work hard, had a blast.

Your decisions will come out in less than six hours, and it’s possible that no amount of distraction will ease your anxiety. I hope you guys have all read Chris’s entry. Really, don’t panic!

To those of you who get in: Welcome to MIT! Celebrate with your family and friends – and join the Facebook group! Make sure you thank the ones who helped you make it this far :) I can’t wait to meet some of you at CPW!

To those of you who don’t get in: Take a deep breath. It’s okay.
In my psychology class, we talked about an experiment where people attempted to predict their level of happiness before and after receiving a raise. Several stated that they’d be much happier after receiving such a pay increase; months later, however, both those who hadn’t received a raise and those who had reported the same level of satisfaction with their lives.
I’m sorry for giving you guys a psych lesson :( I just want you to know that it’s going to be fine. You’re all talented and creative; you might not be using MIT as your stepping stone, but you’re still going to change the world.

And to those of you who get waitlisted: Waiting’s hard, yes. But the sentiment of this entry still applies. Don’t give up hope! People really do get off the waitlist, and you could be one of them :)

To everyone: As my Star Wars-loving friends frequently say: May the Force be with you.

47 responses to “A Few Words”

  1. darxsys says:

    thank you hamsika smile

  2. Hamsika '13 says:

    haha, darxsys – now do you believe i’m real? =P

  3. Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!! smile

  4. darxsys says:

    @hamsika

    sure. smile

  5. Hello Hamsika Di,
    Thats really nice that you gave us tips for the last moments !

    I am really thankful to you for that !
    Your Orgo test is also coming (as you told), so Pi day can be a big distraction for you too ! raspberry

    Practice writing your orgo equations !! Haha !
    Tip for you: Draw the electron pushing arrows carefully ! smile
    Thanks again !
    Sambheet Krishna

  6. andJarodsaid says:

    I have come to love the airpoke room, thanks to Anshu for creating it…

  7. Chandra says:

    Thanks so much Hamsika!!
    Goodluck to everyone!

  8. Brad says:

    Thx for the words of advice. I think that we all still have to come to terms with whatever happens at two on our own.

  9. Val'14? says:

    I’ve been waiting for your blog, Hamsika, and as always it makes me feel better. Thanks!=)

  10. Thank you for the kind words Hamsika!
    I’ve been tapdancing around the house for a day now.
    Three hours left.

    -cykia

  11. anonymous says:

    hey i’m in a college in india but i wanna “start over” (and not transfer) at(to) mit .is that possible

  12. FuLanKe says:

    Thanks Hamsika for the advice, I wish you best of all with your workload and tests coming up!

  13. Banerjee says:

    You know I’m not getting my decisions this year (I’m a potential one ’15er), but this was still so meaningful! Thank you!

  14. FuLanKe says:

    Thanks Hamsika for the advice, I wish you best of all with your workload and tests coming up!

  15. Sreyan says:

    Hey Hamsika that really did help!! thanks so much…. thanks for being part of this AWESOME experience. smile

  16. tree says:

    My fellow Hopefuls, just remember MIT students’ one famous saying, IHTFP… and more…
    More likely than not, once you’re in, you’ll also be saying IHTFP…

  17. tree says:

    and Hamisika, you’re a kind person! Good luck on your ORGO!

  18. Dawn Estep says:

    now it’s less than TWO HOURS!

  19. anonymous says:

    1 hr 40 min left.
    Can’t concentrate on my studies at all.

  20. L '14? says:

    Thanks for the tips. I just can’t believe that most of us have been prepping and working so hard, waiting, spending money, in order to just find out within 1 second that we were rejected. However, some of us will find out that we were accepted. Ohhh, I don’t know why, but I am happy right now. Probably because there is a ton of hope and curiosity just bouncing all over inside me. smile Good luck guys!

  21. Anonymous says:

    don’t hv anything to say except all the best and best of luck to all! May God Bless Us All And Be With Us Always!

    and to those who don’t get in remember God never gives us more than we can handle and whatever happens, happens for the best..

    captcha: devaluation overdraw.. hmm…..
    recaptcha: to outwit

  22. anonymous says:

    Just o’er 1 hr left.

  23. starfather says:

    pending the wonder…

  24. Nathan says:

    Thanks for the advice! That was beautiful.

  25. Aaron says:

    been reading all the blogs, I guess its getting pretty tense. Good luck to all my fellow applicants as we are now 46 minutes away from the decision release.

  26. Anonymous says:

    Good luck, all! God blessGood luck, all! God bless<3

  27. André says:

    Thank you Hamsika, that was the best thing anyone said to me today, especially about the Force.

    May the force be with us all, fellow applicants.

  28. Anonymous says:

    LOL almost all of you will be really really dissapointed in 30 minutes.
    Keep in mind: YOU’RE GETTING REJECTED.
    Because you know that is what is going to happen.

  29. Anonymous says:

    gr8 post….Chris’s blog ddnt help. I’m so scared.

  30. Aaron says:

    “LOL almost all of you will be really really dissapointed in 30 minutes.
    Keep in mind: YOU’RE GETTING REJECTED.
    Because you know that is what is going to happen.”

    ^someone’s a kill-joy. Course this will happen but its not the end of the world. Ya win some, ya lose some, just keep moving on.

  31. Divyansh says:

    its nearly time
    Best of luck everyone

  32. bgg says:

    waitlisted :(

  33. Anonymous says:

    It’s alright, bgg. I got rejected smile (not that I’m happy)

  34. Anurag '14? says:

    Now that I know that it is there – just one click away, I don’t want to open mine. I’m nervous/scared. :/

  35. David says:

    Rejected. :(

  36. Christine says:

    Rejected. Ah well. Think of Steve Jobs… not everything worked out for him and yet he became totally successful.

  37. Jazzy says:

    Rejected, after a life of being trained that MIT was the best place in the world. And I still believe it. I’ll still probably read this blog, it’s really entertaining, but it will be painful for a while.

    Here’s to the far-off possibility of grad school.

  38. Hania ('14?) says:

    hmm.. still all these: (’14?).

    waitlisted.

  39. Hamsika '13 says:

    ‚ô• from me to all of you, regardless of whether you got in or not

  40. André says:

    Thank you again Hamsika, I am sad I will not meet all the bloggers I like, including you. But well I still love MIT, and I will problably apply to grad school (hopefully I will still be accepted to another university, if not I will try MIT again).

    And my god, how bad are people dealing with their denied admission on the open forum. I though MIT applicants would be more prepared for such outcome and at least polite.

  41. Mom out west says:

    Hamsika- I enjoy your blog entries- echoing your closing sentence, since you are a blogger-
    “Metaphors be with you”.

  42. Akshat says:

    Hey Hansika,
    I’ve been reading your blog for a while now and believe me when I say that your writing always brought a smile on my face!

    I would not be joining MIT now! Got painfully rejected! And MIT was never grad school option for me!

    MIT was my first result and first rejection! :(

    If I get in any of the other schools I’ve applied to I know I’d still be reading your blog entries!

    Have fun and never change! You are AWESOMELY comforting!!

  43. Varun says:

    hello everyone!! I received my rejection letter but thats fine.I am happy I competed with the best.
    A hearty congratulations to those who have been admitted..But to those rejected,just remember this..

    Famous tennis star Arthur Ashe, who was suffering from HIV was asked that won’t he feel bad to
    die…..
    Ashe said…
    ” THERE ARE 6 BILLION PEOPLE….
    2 MILLION TRY TO PLAY TENNIS….
    1 MILLION LEARN….
    500000 BECOME PROFESSIONALS….
    AMONG THEM ONLY 128 ARE SELECTED FOR WIMBLEDON….
    THEN 4 FOR THE SEMI-FINALS….
    2 FOR THE FINALS….
    ONLY ONE WINS….
    WHEN I WAS ON THAT VICTORY STAND,I DIDN’T ASK GOD WHY ME ?
    WHY SHOULD I ASK NOW ? “

    So “Stay hungry ,stay foolish” and be happy..

  44. razi says:

    it is very great news that you made it to mit..

    just WoW!!best of luck for ur future

  45. Nikita says:

    You’re so cute.