Of Universities and Girlfriends

I have been thinking (yes, I do think), that there is so much common between the little things of life, and the not-so-little things. You talk of fractals, you talk of small waves joining together to form the gigantic swirling wave, but the similarity never ends. And of course, there are universities and there are girlfriends. And yes, there is a lot common between them as well.

As for example, you start by researching the "potential" candidates out. What are the research interests of the university, where does it stand, what are the costs of living with it, and so on and so forth. Come to think of it, your potential girlfriends are also in the same category. You have to think about what her 'interests' are, how much of girlfriend/wife material she is, and of course, how much is the maintenance cost?

Then, of course, there is the consideration of whether you want to have the brand name with yourself all your life. Yeah, I am talking about the commitment bit. But, really, don't you think at the beginning of every relation that this should be the one thing that should stay with yourself all your life? What happens later is a different question, but your university brand name also sticks to you. Whether you like it or not, you have to become very very proud of yourself when you see huge praises being heaped on that university, "your university", and perhaps you will also rush to its defence when it is slandered against.

Of course none of the universities should know that you have applied to their rivals. Think, think, a tailor-made SoP for each university, praising them to the sky and explaining how precisely a 'relation' will be "mutually beneficial". Just so that you can somehow trick them into taking you in... and then the rest is history :D. Now, think of this in terms of girlfriends... need I say more? And woe befall you if the 'love-letter' (read SoP) for one reaches someone else!!

And then there is always the fear of rejection, the joy of anticipating acceptance! Of all the people you pin your hopes on (like random scrapbook frandship requests on Orkut), all the acceptances seem so heartwarming. And the rejections from those places where you think you ought to have been 'accepted' seem to rend the heart... time for crushed hearts, a little introspection and a final dejected devastated hour on some nights. It is all a part of life, dear... you just move on.

Finally, think of the categories of applications. Although there may be no "safe" applications for you in the case of girlfriends, you have some medium bets; where you think that you have done your best, and that there should not be any hassles if things go all right. But you secretly have a crush on some universities, your ambitious applications, your darkest deepest dreams think about yourself being associated with that university, of living through its campus as a student. You know that there is no way you will be taken in, there are far many better candidates who are in line for that one seat. But then, again, this may be your only chance, so that some day in life you should not look back, heave a sigh and tell yourself, "Gosh, I should at least have asked her!".

And what happens when you get a thick envelope from that university, saying you are in? What happens when she, the star with the celestial smile, says yes? Ah... Bliss, Bliss, Bliss!! :)