I received my not admissions, but rejection letter today from the University of Washington Tacoma.

To say that I am disappointed and a little heart broken would be an understatement.

Today I planned to be busy and get a lot of work done that I couldn’t have completed this week due to Poncho, my new puppy. I have developed a system with Poncho and ever since, he has only shit on the carpet one other time besides the first day!

I called my mom to see if the mail had arrived since I still keep their address on file for virtually everything. She said I received an envelope from university and I yelped in excitement, “open it, open it!”

I was an hour a way and couldn’t wait any longer to hear about my acceptance to the school. My mom said the envelope was thick, but didn’t tell me via phone that it was one page on thick paper. She reads, “Dear Danielle: Thank you for your application to the University of Washington Tacoma. We regret to inform you…”

I didn’t get in.

I didn’t get in. How the fuck did I not get into a school with an eighty seven percent acceptance rate?! It wasn’t even the *real* UW!

My mom and dad tried to console me via phone call as I tried to hold back the tears. I said I had to go and hung up. I ugly cried for half an hour as my puppy cried with me, not knowing why momma was crying, but he cried with me in solidarity anyways.

I told my best friend and Diego at the same time via text that I didn’t get in. Since my friend works with Diego, I told him to tell Diego to text me as soon as he could, since my friend responded back first.

They both felt bad for me and I felt even worse considering my friend bought me a UW hoodie for my birthday since I thought I was going to get in to that school. Diego brought home a bunch of junk food that I could drown my sorrows in and drink the pain away (not really; by that I mean have one drink and then go to bed).

I went to my parents’ house with Poncho so we didn’t have to be alone. My parents ordered pizza and put gas in my car so I wouldn’t have to do so on my way home. I waited there until Diego met me at the house. We proceeded to go to his parents’ house and his sister’s so everyone could meet our houndy, Poncho.

Everyone’s reactions to Poncho made me feel better; like who wants to be a Husky for UW when I got my own houndy in my arms?!

I have a lot to be thankful for and grateful for and I know that if I just finish my associate’s at community college, I can reapply and get in or go somewhere else, if I so choose.

I think the plan right now is to focus on work and getting my associate’s degree and then start applying to universities to see where I can go. Right now I am looking at getting my Associates in Applied Science (AA-S) in human and social services, which is a transfer degree to most colleges in my state and elsewhere.

As discouraging as this news is, it isn’t the end of the world; just a shitty day I won’t even remember a year from now.

Thanks for listening.

Much love,

Dani