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You can't get accepted if you don't apply
Apr. 15th, 2004 05:44 pmJunior year of college ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
kdc4evr gave me some good advice. One day I was bitching about how all the same actors kept getting cast in all the theater productions. I ranted and railed about how I was tired of seeing Mary Morales on stage, how I'd like to see what kind of acting chops some of the other students had. And I whined about how I wanted to be in a theater production but felt auditioning was useless because the same old people would end up getting cast anyway. To which kdc4evr astutely replied, "Well Carla if you don't audition then they can't cast you."
That stuck with me because it was just so damn logical. It immediately brought to mind Woody Allen's famous saying, "80 percent of success is just showing up." Of course you can't get cast if you don't audition. Without an audition the director has no idea what your abilities are or even if you can act! Gayle has no recollection of having said this to me, but since then I've modified her statement a zillion times over to motivate myself to do things I would typically just sit around complaining about. When I was unemployed and found myself facing a scary job interview I wanted nothing more than to skip I'd remind myself "they can't hire you if you don't show up." And as I start stepping up my grad school search I keep telling myself, "you can't get accepted if you don't apply."
While I used to consider my desire to attend grad school a closely guarded secret, I've been so vocal about it in recent weeks I guess it's no longer surprising to anyone. But there's a new development that may shock a few people.
*whispers* I think I'm gonna take the GRE.
Yes I who swore to never take another standardized test is going to cave. Blame it on Gayle. All the most prestigious writing programs like Iowa Writers Workshop and University of Alabama require the GRE and I'd be selling myself short if I didn't apply simply because I was too lazy or hard headed to take the GRE. They can't accept me if I don't apply right? And in order to apply and get accepted I need to take the GRE. Plain and simple.
Norman IMed me last night around 2:30 AM and we talked about grad school. He basically told me to get over my GRE fear so I can go to U. of Alabama. I had to laugh because he was giving me the hard sell, but he was also right. Taking the GRE will allow to apply to SO MANY MORE schools. And it's just a test. One silly retarded test that will eat up all of four hours of my life and is nothing more than a formality to most grad school applications. So today I went to Barnes and Noble and bought some test prep books. Also visited gre.org and printed out their practice material. I can't let myself limit myself anymore. I need to be willing to do whatever it takes to get the things I want.
I was feeling rather lonely last night, the reasons for which I'll cover in another entry, but I was saved by many a kind and loving friend. Jason IMed me for most of the night, and he's going to call me tonight. Melly Mel spoke to me for hours, and oh man was it wonderful. Just like old times. It's been so long since Mel and Carla sat down and just dished about their lives. We're still both complete drama queens. I don't know if it's more sad or comforting to know that so little has changed in 5 years. And of course I spoke to Norman. It's been ages since I had multiple AIM conversations going at once. Made me feel popular.
And loved.
kdc4evr gave me some good advice. One day I was bitching about how all the same actors kept getting cast in all the theater productions. I ranted and railed about how I was tired of seeing Mary Morales on stage, how I'd like to see what kind of acting chops some of the other students had. And I whined about how I wanted to be in a theater production but felt auditioning was useless because the same old people would end up getting cast anyway. To which kdc4evr astutely replied, "Well Carla if you don't audition then they can't cast you." That stuck with me because it was just so damn logical. It immediately brought to mind Woody Allen's famous saying, "80 percent of success is just showing up." Of course you can't get cast if you don't audition. Without an audition the director has no idea what your abilities are or even if you can act! Gayle has no recollection of having said this to me, but since then I've modified her statement a zillion times over to motivate myself to do things I would typically just sit around complaining about. When I was unemployed and found myself facing a scary job interview I wanted nothing more than to skip I'd remind myself "they can't hire you if you don't show up." And as I start stepping up my grad school search I keep telling myself, "you can't get accepted if you don't apply."
While I used to consider my desire to attend grad school a closely guarded secret, I've been so vocal about it in recent weeks I guess it's no longer surprising to anyone. But there's a new development that may shock a few people.
*whispers* I think I'm gonna take the GRE.
Yes I who swore to never take another standardized test is going to cave. Blame it on Gayle. All the most prestigious writing programs like Iowa Writers Workshop and University of Alabama require the GRE and I'd be selling myself short if I didn't apply simply because I was too lazy or hard headed to take the GRE. They can't accept me if I don't apply right? And in order to apply and get accepted I need to take the GRE. Plain and simple.
Norman IMed me last night around 2:30 AM and we talked about grad school. He basically told me to get over my GRE fear so I can go to U. of Alabama. I had to laugh because he was giving me the hard sell, but he was also right. Taking the GRE will allow to apply to SO MANY MORE schools. And it's just a test. One silly retarded test that will eat up all of four hours of my life and is nothing more than a formality to most grad school applications. So today I went to Barnes and Noble and bought some test prep books. Also visited gre.org and printed out their practice material. I can't let myself limit myself anymore. I need to be willing to do whatever it takes to get the things I want.
I was feeling rather lonely last night, the reasons for which I'll cover in another entry, but I was saved by many a kind and loving friend. Jason IMed me for most of the night, and he's going to call me tonight. Melly Mel spoke to me for hours, and oh man was it wonderful. Just like old times. It's been so long since Mel and Carla sat down and just dished about their lives. We're still both complete drama queens. I don't know if it's more sad or comforting to know that so little has changed in 5 years. And of course I spoke to Norman. It's been ages since I had multiple AIM conversations going at once. Made me feel popular.
And loved.
