We just got done with another massive grade-a-thon. This one was five hours, due to the sheer quantity of work the students turned in. Freakin' overachievers.

Katie and Neil, the other TAs, left as I was putting the last of my grades into the spreadsheet. Prof. J was still there - she had another paper to go.

I couldn't decide whether I wanted to ask her or not. So, as usual, while I was busy deciding, the small impetuous portion of my brain went ahead and asked.

"One more thing - I know you probably don't need more people nagging you about this..."

There was a glint of prescience in her eye. She had a pretty good idea what was coming.

"Do you have any idea when the decisions-"

She nodded. That's what she was expecting.

She gave me the explanation I had already guessed at: there were fully twice as many applicants this year, probably because the job market is so bad. This also means that they'll probably get twice as many normal applicants in January. Since this is going to have a pretty big impact on the program as a whole, the decision can't really be entirely up to her anymore. And a good portion of the senior faculty are out of town at conferences. The short answer being, effectively, "Who knows?"

"But Gus..." I knew exactly what was coming. It was going to be awkward and embarrassing, so I mentally willed her not to continue. But I wanted to hear it, so I kept my mouth shut.

"You really shouldn't be worried about getting into this program. I mean, if we let one person in, it'll be you."

Which just proves to me what I've known all along:

I really should just listen to Jenn and Ayne and my mom. Because they're always right.