After Midnight

Not much good happens after midnight. When the clock signals a brand new day, Cinderella becomes just another peasant girl, Mogwais turn into Gremlins and every sort of unspeakable evil comes out.

Last night, I made the decision to brave the early hours of Friday morning and ignored the implied 12 p.m. bedtime that pop culture tells us is vital for survival. I made this decision in spite of the fact that Jay Leno’s guest told the story of how his father never let him have a sleepover because, “Nothing good happens after midnight.”

I believe that my decision worked out well, despite the warnings that I would encounter some great misfortune.  When I checked my email just before retiring to bed at 3 a.m., I noticed an email from Northwestern University. The school had sent out its admission decision in a link attached to the message.

When I saw that my admission decision had been sent in an email, I figured that I had not made the cut and, despite a sleepy grogginess, my assumption was correct. “I am sorry we are unable to offer you a place in the freshman class” were the words that decided where I will spend my freshman year in college.

Now, it may seem like staying past midnight did in fact bring bad news for me—I was denied the college that I was initially most interested in—but it was actually nice to finally have a decision. When I read that I wasn’t accepted, it was a little disappointing because no one wants to hear that they are not good enough. Yet I know what kind of student I am and do not need a college to validate that.

It was good news to know that I can say with utmost confidence that I will be learning in Lawrence, KS, next year. I can already start planning trips to Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City when the Twins come to play, camping out to watch the Jayhawks at the Allen Fieldhouse, visiting my relatives in Oklahoma on a long weekend for some time out on the lake and possibly attending my first MLS game.

It is seemingly the perfect way to kick off my spring break—along with the Hopkins Royals winning their first two State games, the end of the final quarter that counts toward my graduation GPA and a conclusion to my college search.

It was a long winter but now the sun is peeking through, I am headed to Florida for the weekend to finally catch some Twins baseball and by the time this article is posted the Royals basketball team will either have a 3-peat or … well let’s be honest they’ll have a 3-peat.

I now only have one quarter of high school left. I’m not sure where I’m going to find the motivation to finish strong, but I will have to. Hopefully some time in the sun, along with some sleep (if I can get to bed before midnight), will give me the boost that I need.