what do you mean approved?

my petition to the academic administrative board was due on friday and it not easy to get it in.  sometimes i feel like mount holyoke is working against me and unless certain steps take place in a very specific, yet arbitrary sequence, nothing will ever fall into place!
 
since i’ve been away from mhc for two semesters and i still want to spend a semester abroad, i needed to have the credits for one semester of my freshman year count toward the four semester residence requirement, or i wouldn’t be able to graduate on time.  so if the petition wasn’t approved, i would either have to miss study abroad next spring or spend an extra semester at mhc in the fall of 2006 after everyone else graduates. 
 
i woke up to the following e-mail this morning:

—–original message—–
from: nl
sent: monday, may 10, 2004 6:25 am
to: emily l. white
subject: emily white ’06 – aab petition decision

dear emily,
when the academic administrative board met on friday, may 7th, your petition to have the second semester of your first year at mount holyoke count toward the college’s residency requirement was reviewed. you will be pleased to know that the board voted to approve your request. i know this will be welcome news, emily, and end the spring semester on a happy note. good luck with your exams, and best wishes for a satisfying and productive summer.

sincerely,
nl
assistant to the dean of the college

that means i can apply to schools in london and study abroad spring semester, and i’ll still graduate and walk with my class in may 2006!  never mind that, after all the phone calls and e-mail correspondence, no one except holly has figured out that i’m not actually at school this semester.  i’ll let that slide simply beccause i absolutely could not have ever imagined a group of college administrators sitting around a big glossy table and collectively approving a petition in my favor, and it happened!  i’m publishing the full text of this e-mail for posterity – and so they can’t take it back!
 
quote of the day: “what you seize is what you get”