Thursday, March 17, 2011

a nerve and rainbow sandwich


Hi everyone out there in MFA-land. My name is Quinn and this fall I'll be attending Virginia Tech for poetry.
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Before Tech accepted me, I was starting to think that I might suck. I couldn't look at my portfolio for fear that its awfulness would cause my eyes to combust.
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One morning, however, after hugging my cat and asking him to share his magic with me, I received a call from the assistant director of the CW program. She wanted to schedule an interview. I fell upstairs in a fit of joy, spraining my ankle. The next day I limped around campus with a smile on my face. I couldn't be the worst if they wanted to talk to me.
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But a new cloud of worry soon gathered: how will I survive this phone interview? Will I forget how to say my name? Will I drop a deadly sentence that causes the poetry committee to draw a thick black "x" over my application?
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[ ADVICE: prepare for your interviews, future applicants. Study the work of the people who'll be interviewing you. Write down a practice dialogue. Make a list of questions. Think about why you want to attend the school. I woke up early, ate a banana, and meditated before my interview. ]
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I must not have made a fool of myself because a week later I read an email whose subject was "VT MFA Acceptance." That afternoon I had a ten minute dance party. My cats hid under the bed as I informed them: "I don't suck! I don't suck! They like me!"
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Now, however, a new, vicious storm gathers. Will I continue being a decent poet? Will I disappoint those who admitted me? Eeep. My cuticles have never looked worse and I'm still deferring to my pre-acceptance stress diet of cupcakes and cheeseburgers. Sometimes, however, like when I listen to the "Funny Girl" soundtrack, or when I'm driving in the Alabama sunshine, I feel like a rainbow machine. I feel like I can conquer all nerves and leave pots of gold in my wake.
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So, this blog shall cover the dissipation and re-conglomeration of my anxieties as I head into my first semester. I'm getting married in a month. We're moving to Blacksburg. With two cats. There will be drama. And hopefully ice cream! I'll post pictures. Will I fight monsters? Will I forget how to speak English? Will I make fantastic friends? Will workshop melt my face? We'll see!

7 comments:

  1. love it! you are gonna have a blast. isn't nikki giovanni at VA Tech? i am also completely terrified that i will forget how to write good poetry.

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  2. RAINBOW MACHINE! I have a feeling you will cheer me up when *my* anxieties turn me into a whirling dervish of sucking sadness. So, I'm so glad you got in!

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  3. **Alicia, yes, Nikki Giovvani is at VA Tech. I have no idea how to turn in a poem to her. What would you do?
    **Chelsea, I hope I can spread some cheer your way! But I may get squashed and end up writing about that. Are you in a program now or are you studying up for a future application season?

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  4. quinn, don't ask me. there's a reason i'm going to a school without famous teachers. just the thought of ms. giovanni critiquing my poetry makes me wet my pants a little.

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  5. yay for Virginia Tech! I like a lot of MFA students at Tech or who have graduated from there, so I believe they have a way of picking good people. I hope you have a blast!

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  6. I'm in another VA program, but I just wanted to say that you should keep dancing and not worry about your poetry. You got in, meaning you are precisely what they want (and they had lots of choices). That's not pressure, that's an accomplishment. You are quite literally good to go. Congrats (to all acceptees).

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  7. Didn't get married, by the way. Still going to Tech. Excited!

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