Whew…where has the time gone? I guess you could say I took a break from worrying, or actively worrying, about my applications. I spent the latter half of my summer and September traveling and getting a bunch of stuff out of my system and what do you know? It’s October, we have weather in the 50s today, and my first school deadline is a mere four weeks and five days away! EEEEEEEK!
But I’m loving this weather, as I do every fall and subsequent winter. The early loss of daylight and cooler temperatures kick me into gear, and I got a lot done on my schools this weekend. Last year, I handpicked several schools largely based on their weather and location. Ideally, I’d like to be where the winters are white and the summers are mild. I am reapplying to Montana, where I hear it snowed this weekend (crazy!). I also have University of Minnesota on my list. But on the contrary, I put a lot of Northeastern and midwestern schools aside this year for good schools in places I’ve never considered living before. I’ve been looking for better funding, and some of that can be found away from the cozy north and in the humid south or the arid west. Or as an MFA director once told me, apply to schools in places no one wants to go. OK!
Never in a million years did I think I would warm up to the idea of Arizona, but I have officially sent my transcripts and started on applications to University of Arizona and Arizona State. The way I’m getting past the hostile nature of that geographical climate (TO MY SOUL) is to wrap my head around what it would mean for me if I moved there: a completely different place than what I’ve been used to living. Like, moving to the moon. And doesn’t living somewhere complete different make you write more, even if it’s nostalgic writing about where you used to live? That, and I really need to get over thinking whereever I go to school is where I will end up forever and ever. It’s only 2-3 years of my time, 4 at the absolute most. A couple of years really isn’t that long - hell, it’s taken me only a couple of years to get from the idea of applying to MFA programs to be going through applications for the second time. And if I end up going to school in Arizona, I can quickly erase all memories of heat strokes by moving to someplace like Chicago after graduation.
And then, wow, I have 4 schools in the South on my list: Alabama, Arkansas, UNCG, and Vanderbilt (after I said I’d never live in TN again…). To some people, it may seem easier to move to somewhere closer to home, but if I stay in the South for school it could be the most daring thing I’ve let myself get away with. I already feel like I had to reinvent myself to move and live in Charlotte, which thankfully has a mountain range in between my TN hometown and here so it takes 6 hours by car to come ’round the bend. But to be within just a couple hours of my family again, as I would be in Tuscaloosa or Nashville, that calls for some more adult bravery to put my foot down and say, this is how I’m living my life and no, you cannot just show up at my doorstep on a whim because it’s not too far for you to drive to me now. You think I’m kidding, but my sister lived in Knoxville for her graduate degree and she was phoning her boyfriend to go hide the bong because Dad decided to make a surprise appearance and was only 10 minutes away…! And as far as Fayetteville and Greensboro, well, they have their character but I’m guessing it would feel the same as moving farther outside of the city I already live in. But that’s OK, I grew up in the Boonies. I can handle it. The small town doesn’t scare me so much. I just worry about having more of the same. I’m so incomplacent.
So, climate and geography are no longer a concern. And if anything, it’s the last thing I need to worry about right now, especially since I don’t know where I’ll be heading. Rather, I won’t be heading anywhere if I don’t get these applications out the door!
The list, as it stands, carved in stone, in no particular order:
- UT Austin – MA & MFA
- Arizona State
- University of Arizona
- University of Alabama
- University of Arkansas
- Vanderbilt University
- University of Minnesota
- UNC Greensboro
- Texas State
- University of Montana
