it's fixin to be a long one

it has been a real long time since i pulled an all-nighter. i feel slightly hysterical but surprisingly competent. the key is to not get too wordy; that way, it's much easier to edit with a clear head the next day. a lot of ten-dollar words can confuse a mind full of coffee (and maybe a pastry? maybe. but not if i hit the snacks hard tonight. it's harder not to think about chocolate on the even hours, i find). another key is music with no words, or maybe words in another language or that are so soft they're like water. so pretty much, air exclusively.

here is the situation. when i was putting together my little checklists in october (i'm applying to sixteen grad schools, if i'm going to stay on top of the various deadlines and weird small requirements, i'm going to need checklists), berkeley's website said that applications were due on the 11th. that is what i wrote on my little checklist. the admissions webpage says that everything needs to be postmarked the 11th, "not December 8th as listed elsewhere" (see for yourself). when i read that, i was like "ok cool, still the 11th." well, now when i log in to the online application, it says i've chosen a major for which the deadline has passed, and sure enough, when i re-looked at the grad programs & deadlines website it said the 8th. screwed! well, i sent a few mildly upset/slightly confused emails to who i hope are the right people, and i'll find out tomorrow if i can still submit. so, tonight's long haul may or may not be completely necessary and/or completely disappointing. either way, i will most likely not come close to getting in because it is the number one program in the country, but at least i will have enjoyed some late-nights snacks combined with some late-night truths about myself and how i always wait til the last minute and how that is just silly.