The Day I Got In

I'm almost there.  One class left.  A half of a class to be exact.  Then I'll finally be done.  After two years of sweat, blood, tears, and nearly losing my mind, I'll finally have my Masters in Social Work and be free.

It was about this time two years ago that I got my acceptance letter to KU.  I remember the evening distinctly.  It was a Friday evening and I was just getting home from work.  I opened my mailbox and saw it.  A large white envelope.  My heart jumped.  I knew what it probably was, I had been coming home everyday for a couple of weeks looking for it.  I carefully pulled it out and then saw the logo.  This was it.  

I had wanted it so bad.  I hadn't told anyone how bad I had wanted it.  Not even my family.  But I wanted to go to KU badly.  I heard so many great things about their program and met lots of social workers who went there.  To top it all off my mom had gotten her MSW from KU and her BSW from K-State, like I had.  I wanted to keep following in my mom's foot steps and go to KU.  But, I also knew the stats weren't in my favor.  KU had turned down some good social workers, really good, and a mentor had already given me the "don't take it personally if you don't get in" speech.

Now it was time for the main event.  I tore open the envelope, yanked out the contents, and started skimming until I saw it.  The word.  The one word that would satisfy.  My heart leapt.  It said, "congratulations."