It's Kinda Like Waking Up...Or Rather, Finally Being Able To Sleep...

It's done. I got through my first term in grad school and submitted my applications to Concordia - one to the Interdisciplinary Humanities PhD in Society and Culture, and one to the Communications PhD.

Three reference letters (x2), two official transcripts (x2), two long application forms, proof of citizenship, 500 word statement of purpose, and over 20 pages of proposed research...

Olivier and I drove to Montreal yesterday to drop of the application by 7pm at the student services office. I finished the 1o pages of compiled writing samples in the car, and I had to find a copy place to print it off before I submitted it.

I was horribly nauseous in the car the whole way there - I hadn't eaten yet, after all.

We stopped at a Tim Horton's/Esso, and I swear it's never taken so long to get a couple of bagels, a coffee and a tea. The lady was way too relaxed, her lackadaisical manner was like a personal affront ...I developed a bit of a facial tick watching her fiddle around with the coffee lids and take her sweet ass time spreading the cream cheese just so...

On the congested highway to Montreal, we were in the only lane that was at a standstill.

We got to downtown Montreal at 6:30.

By 6:45, I was at the student services office with my cherished applications, quadruple checked before sealing the envelopes, and handing them over to the guy. I asked if there was anything in particular I should write on the envelopes: "grad studies, just so we know what pile to throw them in." Ok then.

And that was that. No fireworks, no balloon-drop, no gong to bang on the way out.
I hate the anti-climactic-ness of this process. Nonetheless, I began to smile involuntarily as we walked down the icy sidewalk. And that was pretty cool.

We passed by all kinds of places I remembered from visiting Sarah there in the summer of 2007, and it was cool to have a sense of familiarity with the city I hope to live in for at least the next 5 years of my life...

So now, I can watch HGTV (Oli has cable!) without the crushing guilt of shirking responsibilities; I can take longer-than-absolutely-necessary baths (Oli has a bathtub!); I can make an actual meal instead of just assembling ingredients, and maybe even use the stove or oven instead of the microwave; and above all, I can sleep as long as I damn well please.
Sweeeet.

Now that I've resurfaced, I'll be calling you back and answering your emails soon enough... after my nap.