What If Your Best Isn't Enough?

Grad School Rejected Me

Photo by Anthony Tran on Unsplash

I was driving home from a doctor's appointment in rush hour traffic when a new email notified my phone.

I opened the notification while sitting at a red light.

This is the email I've checked my inbox for every day for the past four months.

The subject line read: Graduate Application — Creative Writing.

I opened the email and read the first paragraph.

I didn't get in.

This is a template rejection email.

The same email they sent to the other candidates they rejected.

I know this because the email is sent to a blank email address.

I texted my friend, "I didn't get in," in the middle of our conversation with no context.

"Oh, Madi, I'm so sorry," he said.

The tears started falling.

I didn't get in.

My Application Wasn't My Best

I spent months writing the 14-page sample for my application.

Then, two weeks before my application was due, I deleted everything I wrote and started from scratch.