I guess I should explain why I want to be one of the very first ones to submit their Columbia application. I heard from a reliable source- basically a current Columbia student- that admissions review the applications in the order that they are received and not on any random basis. I figure if I am let’s say one of the first 10 people to submit, that means I would get a response that much sooner. It’s not an advantage per se, but still one I’ll gladly take. The sooner I find out what fate has in store for me, I sooner I can plan out my next move. Business School is a big deal, so there’s definitely lots of planning to do. I don’t recommend this approach if it means sacrificing the quality of your application. I repeat, Do NOT sacrifice even the tiniest bit of quality for timeliness. For me, it works because I’m all done with my essays since I got off to such an early start (since March!). And I believe they are as “best” as I can make them. So I’m not sacrificing anything, just gaining a little bit of time and maybe a peace of mind. Of course, I’ll be checking, double checking, and triple checking everything before I submit. And maybe even get a second pair of eyes to review it. Columbia’s application should be out in a week or so…I’m so excited I’m getting goosebumps.
Read this pretty cool article on Time.com about a group of ultimate runners. Here is the link. http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1902027,00.html. Thought I share this because it kinda blew my mind as to the stamina and endurance of the human psyche and physiology. Basically, the writer spent some time with a group of indigenous ultra runners in Mexico called the Tarahumara. If you think running 20 somewhat odd miles in a Marathon is something, try running 100 miles a.k.a an ultra-marathon through the desert and mountains. That’s exactly what the Tarahumara does. They are the hardcore of hardcore super runners. It amazes me how a human being can have this much will power. But what’s even more amazing is that the Tarahumara runs as a group. They don’t run to compete but as one cohesive unit. That means no one gets left behind. That I like. I wonder what it would be like to spend some time in the desert, eating nothing but beans and whatever game we catch and sleeping by the camp fire during the night and running under the scorching sun during the day- I don’t think I’ll survive. But I can imagine it must be one unforgettable spiritual experience for the author when he did lived with them. The one part I didn’t like was that one guy actually drank his own urine during the run. Uh..,I think I’ll stick with good old H2o thank you : ). Anyway, I guess this makes my measly 12 miles seem like a walk in the park. But reading this article had just inspired (if only temporary) me to up the ante and see where my limit lies. I’m shooting for 20 miles by the end of the year. It still can’t compare with that of 100 miles, but for me, it’s still a reach. And that’s still for not sure. I’ll leave off with a Tarahumara quote that I like…
“Reverence lends wings to the legs. Only thus can a man be happy.”
Read the full article: Timeliness vs. Quality, The Tarahumara