The Secret Scholarship

OK, let's see where we are: taxes- done, FAFSA- filed (still needs to be sent to ASU), so looking pretty good there.

After working late cleaning my room last night I got up and finished putting all my junk away. I have a lot of stuff. Way too much stuff. I did generate a sizable goodwill donation of stuff however, so its a start. At 3:30 I went to the IPO study abroad 101 thing, which was mostly filled with freshman. Just an hour long, not too bad. Dropped off ID photos, the two forms I needed, and the check. Got back home, feeling more on track, and then got a monkeywrench in the works in my email inbox.

On top of, or rather, behind, everything else I've been doing lately, I put togather a travel proposal for a travel scholarship of $3000 offered by the local AIA chapter to 3rd years. It took one night at work and a bit of the morning to do, interspacing it with studying for my history of architecture exam that day. I figured if it was offered to only 48 4th year students, at best only a quarter would apply, as it was 5 pages long requiring a budget, timetable, and two short essays, so I submitted mine and forgot about it, because hey, I've always wanted to go to Japan, and you miss 100% of the shots you never take.

Fast forward to today, I'm one of the four finalists. I'm friends with all three other people. We're supposed to present our travel proposal in front of a committee. The winner will be selected based on the presentation, the travel objectives, personality, and enthusiasm. Everything but the enthusiasm I'm pretty well covered on. The complication is that the meeting takes place on March 10th. Elation turns to dread as I flip through my calender. Yup. I'll be in London.

I threw togather a quick decision flow diagram. First I shot an email over to the person who runs the whole thing asking if it would be possible to meet the comittee earlier. No excuse offered, just simple question. I then called up STA travel who booked the thing and asked if I could move my flight to london up a day. No deal, its a non-exchangable, non-changable, non-smoking flight. I even went to the BA website and tried there, but they said my itenary was set in stone. I havn;t tried calling BA yet, but I bet I know their answer.

If they can meet me earlier, I'll do it, if not, I'll apologize and tell them they need to select another student's proposal. If I would be able to change my flight, its a trade off between seeing my friend in London, and a 1 in 4 chance of landing the scholarship. And it would mean a lot more hassle and paperwork.

My proposal, by the way, was to spend 3 weeks in Japan, exploring the idea that the ideals of modernism were present in ancient Japanese architecture. I had fun planning the trip at any rate. If they won't see me earilier, then I'll make that trip someday, just not right now. I am truly spoiled and blessed with the opportunites to travel and see the world as it is, so I won't be too devistated. Part of me also wants to let someone else take the adventure. We'll see.

erg almost six and I've still done nothing towards my paper due the 7th! Its friday night, so you know what that means: homework!