'Tis the season of gift-giving and receiving. Although the holidays are truly about much more, the exchange of presents is also symbolic of the season. Along with this give-and-take comes lists. As a kid, I remember looking through the different catalogs that came in the mail and writing down the page numbers of the toys that looked the most fun. Although this list was hardly looked at when it came to my parents actually buying presents, we often compile a list of things that we want or need during this time of year.

Once you hit your twenties, it becomes significantly harder to make Christmas lists. What do I need? What do I want? I honestly could not put together a full list. I could tell you that I desperately need a vacuum (although my dad told me that was a lame gift) or that a lot of my socks have holes in them, so it's probably a good time to invest in some new ones. I could tell you that I need some business casual clothes for grad school, since leggings and t-shirts won't cut it for much longer. But what do I want?

All I want for Christmas is a grad school acceptance letter...or four. The scary part is, I may get a form of what I wish for! Graduate school acceptance is a lot more intimidating than undergrad acceptance — where undergraduate programs accept thousands into their schools, graduate programs are much more selective. You could be one of the most eligible candidates and be entirely confident in your potential acceptance, but it could be the smallest thing that separates you from your competition.

All I want for Christmas is a chance to continue learning and bettering myself for my future career. I am excited to move on from the undergraduate school I have called home, even though that is also one of the scariest parts to comprehend. I decided to pursue a career in Student Affairs because my school truly has become home, and knowing that I will have to leave is like leaving a part of my heart behind. But leaving will also give me opportunities to let my heart grow, and how could I deny myself that?

All I want for Christmas is the opportunity to know that all my hard work is paying off. This semester has proven to be a special kind of hell for me, between classes, work, and application prep. After finishing all my finals, (I am officially a second-semester senior!), I can say that I rose from the ashes and finished stronger than I could have imagined. I want to be accepted into a graduate program to have a reminder of why it was all worth it, even though I know it always has been worth the effort.

All I want for Christmas is a grad school acceptance letter, because of all that it means for my future. It is the one gift that actually is more than just one gift. An acceptance letter is the key to possibility, and I am ready to unlock possibility.