A Life Update, Part 2: The Countdown Begins
Hi everyone!
It’s been 29 days since I first announced my plans to head to college. If you haven’t read that first update yet, I’d encourage you to do that before reading this one.
At the time, I mentioned that I was enrolled in two colleges while waiting to hear back from a third school that would likely determine the direction of everything else. After nearly a month of emails, paperwork, essays, and preparation, I finally received my answer: I was admitted to my first-choice school.
For privacy reasons, I won’t share the college's name here, but you can make an educated guess if you look hard enough. Even typing that sentence still feels surreal.
Despite not originally being my first choice, a campus visit revealed it was everything I wanted in a college. It checked nearly every box I cared about: journalism opportunities, long-term growth, a thriving campus life, strong support systems, flexibility, and the ability to continue growing Austin B Media while pursuing a degree. Getting accepted after a long appeal process feels like validation of everything I’ve done over the past six years, and confirmation that the university believes I can succeed there.
Making It Real
Over the past two weeks, the process moved from a “what-if” to feeling very, very real.
The questions flooding my mind haven’t completely gone away, but they’ve taken on a different form. A month ago, I was wondering what school I’d get the chance to attend and preparing for every possibility. Today, I’m thinking about things like orientation, workout routines, my daily schedule, and how to set up my dorm when I move in.
Looking at my calendar is a bit scary, I’ll admit. Every week has a new task or event associated with it. Orientation is quickly approaching. Summer financial aid has been awarded, my summer dorm has been assigned, and I’ll be moving in later this month. Dorm supplies have even started arriving. Right now, the primary unresolved issue is securing housing for the 2026-2027 academic year, as I’m on a waitlist.
Balancing Work and School
As for my work at Austin B Media and Movies We Texted About, the plan remains mostly the same as what I described in my first update.
Since I am officially starting classes during the five-week Summer II session, I’ll only be taking one math class to begin with. This lighter load means I’ll have enough time to figure out how to balance school, college life, work, and Austin B Media. Once the full fall semester begins, I’ll likely need to reduce my overall workload somewhat while I adjust to a heavier course load and busier campus life.
Looking Ahead
I’ll be back with a third update as soon as I have something meaningful and concrete to share with you. I can’t nail down an exact date for you right now, but I know that June is going to be a massive month of college prep. My immediate focus is on getting everything prepped to move out and into my summer dorm.
A few weeks ago, I was trying to get into college. Now, I’m over the moon that I’m finally getting the opportunity to attend college and preparing to move into my top choice.
Until next time!
- Austin
