The Push and The Payoff

For the past few weeks, I've been working hard to prepare for school, making sure everything is in place and buttoned up, trying to stay ahead of any potential disaster or misstep. It's been a challenge but a very satisfying challenge that's made the whole process feel worth while and certain. 

Securing financial aid has been especially tricky, and , nearly every day, I've had to call in and confirm or sign or fax or drive to/from or re-read/promise something. It's been taxing. And, throughout the process, the only notice I've gotten that anything was happening was an email telling me that my financial aid had been canceled.

I got two of those emails, actually. Eight minutes apart. Same email. Guess they wanted to make sure I knew that they REALLY meant it.

There was no real clear set of instructions; Do "A", then "B". Make sure "C" is in order. The email basically said "Here's a link to the appeal form" but gave nothing in the way of describing the process or otherwise setting any expectations.

So I called. And I learned very quickly that, if I didn't ask, I wasn't going to be told. So I pushed extra hard, showed up twice as often, called and waited on hold, confirmed, reconfirmed, re-reconfirmed, and, sometimes, swore a little.

It helped (the swearing). But, even though everyone I spoke with assured me that things were moving along smoothly, I still got nothing in writing telling me what I should do, whether or not I was approved, nothing.

Yesterday on campus, the woman I spoke with assured me (several times) after our conversation that I was all set and that everything was OK. I went home, signed in to the student administration system and, would you know it, everything WAS ok! I had all my aid, my disbursement dates were set, my schedule was plotted - there was nothing left for me to do.

And, yet, just to be extra sure, I got up and 4:30 AM and checked again. And then I called at 9:00 AM. And again at 11:00 AM.

I couldn't have been more certain. Everything was all set.

I had nothing left to do for the first time in weeks, so I took a nap. It was a small but well earned reward for all the hoofing and pushing I'd done in the last few weeks. I woke up an hour later feeling refreshed.

And I had an email:

"Dear Andrew, Your appeal has been: APPROVED," it began.

The rest of the email laid out instructions on what steps I needed to take next

...steps, I should add, I had spent the last 3 weeks taking.

*blink, blink*