flashes

i just had a flash back to a tense session two years ago.

my plans post-grad weren’t clear so i decided to interview for don* positions in case i was going to stay in toronto. i didn’t actually think i had a chance but i thought it was a process that i could learn from so i sent in my applications and waited for the interviews.

one of the colleges, with a spanking new building on bloor, decided that the first round of interviews would be conducted in a group. imagine a room full of over-eager-over-achievers trying to impress by talking louder and louder during a group task. i remember feeling like crap as i caught a glimpse of the egoistic dons that my fellow taskers would likely become. so after the “group task” was over and everyone made their cute comments about things, my comments about their insensitivities and lack of understanding about group dynamics plunged the room into silence. it was soooo tense for a few minutes i felt like one of the girls would strangle me right there. the air was electrifying as they began to realize that they had likely blown their chances (for free room and board, and a nice line on the resume for post-grad applications)... and soon their apologies followed but as any granny would tell you, there’s no point crying over spilt milk.

needless to say i ended up with more offers than i could take up at the end of the recruiting session. and since i skipped town i never actually took up any of them. but it was a great way to end 4 years at u.of.t, knowing that i’d really grown up some.


* don = residential advisor in our terminology, with the responsibility of looking after the kiddies in your university residence.