Today, I woke up with a relief and a sense of well-being that I haven't experienced in the last two weeks or so. That's because my application to the Northgate School of Journalism at Berkeley is done and paid for. This application caused me so much trepidation, not because of anything involved or difficult but because the deadline of the 15th of December (for Fall 2004) was only about 10 days after I decided I was going to apply.

The most difficult part was getting letters of recommendation. It's not because I have trouble finding people to write nice things about me, although that's part of it, but because I had three particular people in mind and I was so committed to having them write for me that I didn't even contemplate the need for a backup just in case they couldn't come through (they all did). It's also difficult to ask busy people to compose an essay on your behalf during this incredible hectic time on the academic calendar. I felt uncomfortable asking anyone to do anything so important on such short notice. It was also the only part of the application process that was completely out of my hands. I could request transcripts, register for the GRE, write my essays, find work samples and fill out all the forms myself.

Anyway, it's over. At least the first application. I still have to decide where else I might apply. There are a number of schools with application deadlines that are furhter down the road from which I may choose. The front runners are University of Missouri. University of Texas. University of Michigan and Columbia, in no particular order.

Now all I have to do decide and then take the damn GRE.