Anticipation

Aleks and Kat submitted their applications (online of course) to the University of Washington at the end of November, with Kat applying on the 26th, four days before the deadline, and Aleks pressing SEND within moments of the deadline. It had been a busy week for all of us, with the twins writing essays galore and me reviewing and editing them.

And now we wait.

There's quite a bit of anticipation in our household lately, with Aleks and Kat awaiting word about UW and me awaiting word about a specific job. (I'll fill you in when I can; cross your fingers for me because this would be such an awesome fit!) Since Aleks' and Kat's classmates are beginning to hear from colleges to which they applied, there's a constant stream of cell-phone buzzing and Facebook-checking to see who's been accepted to or rejected from various colleges.

"Ali got into Vassar!" Kat announced yesterday, upon checking the text message that had just come through on her cell phone. Aleks, barely looking up from the constantly-refreshing Facebook site on his laptop, joined in. "And Kate is deferred at Yale, but accepted at UW."

Hearing about others' status, especially regarding UW, makes Aleks and Kat nervous. Why haven't they heard yet? When will they hear? Will they hear on separate days, forcing one to know and one to wait longer? And worse, what if one is accepted and the other is rejected?

UW has a web page that indicates the current status of applications, so Aleks and Kat have, of course, been spending time checking in to that site. Kat announced a few days ago that all required documents had been submitted and her application was in "active review," meaning that a decision was imminent. Aleks' "pending" application was close behind Kat's in the queue.

The other night when I thought everyone had gone to bed, an IM startled me as it popped up on my screen. It was from Aleks, who was in his room, just a few closed doors from where I sat at my makeshift diningroom table office. "What if Kat finds out before me?"

"Not to worry, my son," I replied. "For you are wise and will find great fortune and joy in news forthwith!"

He wasn't buying it.

"But she applied a few days before me and I barely made the deadline, so her chances are better." Was I sensing trepidation, competition, or both? These two rarely compete, so what is this? It's fear, I decided. Anticipatory fear. And it's palpable around here!

In the only non-electronic piece of all this, they wait each day for the mailman and then run outside to the mailbox to see what surprises await. Santa has nothing over UW!

I think both Aleks and Kat will be accepted to UW and my prediction is that it will happen before Christmas. I'd like to also believe that I'll receive some great news very soon, so there's a chance that the holidays will be fully gifted before we even approach any physical presents.

But there's nothing any of us can do now but wait and hope.

No, actually, that's not true. Aleks and Kat can get moving on those zillions of scholarship applications (and I know you're reading this, guys, so get moving!) and I can start gathering information for filling out the FAFSA on January 1st. I swear, applying for colleges really is almost a full-time job -- especially when it's times two! (Or three... although Peter really only needs to inform Washington State that he'll be attending, since he's transferring from a community college with an AA.)

So cross your fingers for all of us! You know I'll post as soon as I hear anything!