<p>This is a bit hypocritical of me (since I’m just as anxious as everyone here) and I don’t know how much this will help but…</p>
<p>No matter when Princeton decides to send out the applications, there’s nothing that we can do about it. In a sense, the timing isn’t that important unless you’re deciding whether or not to fill out RD applications. So, though there’s a certain satisfaction in knowing when we’ll find out, I don’t know if it’s worth calling repeatedly (absolutely no offense intended to those who called - I had thought about calling myself) because it’s not going to change anything. Princeton isn’t trying to prolong our stress or anything; I’m sure that they want to send out their decisions as soon as feasible too.</p>
<p>:: goes back to wondering about when the decisions will be mailed ::</p>
<p>Yeah, at dinner my mom was saying that it must be horrible knowing that I will have to wait a few more days than I thought I would have to…and I realized that I’ve waited this long, so who cares about an extra 3 or 4 days?
This is not to discourage omz from calling tomorrow–you need something to do, for god’s sake (you lucky duck with that schedule) :p!
I’m feeling very “zen” right now. It’s nice. You should try it!</p>
<p>but RD applications are definitely a problem. i have to bring in forms for my guidance counselor. i tried to bring some in early but he wants them only after the decision, and he is expecting me to know by the 15th. and this time of year is just stressful in general. (i dont know about you guys, but for me the week after the 15th is exam week)</p>
<p>Ahh I’m simultaneuously deferred, rejected and accepted to Princeton at the same time!!! I guess those three outcomes would average to being deferred in contrast to the half-dead, half-alive cat. Crap. If I’m deferred, I’m blaming it on quantum physics.</p>
<p>Hahaha ^^^ Too bad about the whole “large envelope, small envelope thing.” Otherwise we could leave our mail unopened and say that we’re in a superposition of acceptance, deferral, and rejection.</p>
<p>Schrodinger’s cat is a thought experiement that is part philosophical and part quantum mechanical. The situation is that a cat is in a box with a hammer positioned above a bottle of poison. There is also a geiger counter and an unstable atomic nucleus in the box. If the nucleus decays, the geiger counter will sense the radiation and drop the hammer, but if the nucleus doesn’t decay, the hammer doesn’t fall. If the hammer falls, then the cat will die from breathing the posion, but if the hammer doesn’t fall, the cat will live. The box is closed and nobody can percieve whether the cat is dead or not.</p>
<p>Ok, so say the probability of the nucleus decaying is exactly 50% when the cat is left in the chamber for some arbitrary amount of time. Therefore there is also a 50% chance of the cat dying and not dying when the hammer is dropped or not dropped on the bottle of poison. Since nobody can see the cat, quantum mechanics says that the current state of the cat is 50% dead and 50% alive because it is impossible to know if the cat is dead or not until you open the box.</p>
<p>Screw the Copenhagen interpretation. Half-dead / Half-alive my ass.</p>
<p>I subscribe to the Multi-verse/Multiple Universe theory. Essentially, what it states is that at the time of measurement of the “aliveness” of the cat, the universe branches off into two sub-universes. In one universe, you will measure the cat alive. In the other, it will be dead. Quantum mechanics simply gives you a probability that your consciousness will transpire to one of those two said universes.</p>
<p>Or in other words, don’t feel too bad if you don’t get into Princeton. Theoretically, there should be an infinite number of you’s in an infinite number of universes that also got deferred or rejected, but also an infinite number that got accepted!!! So congratulate yourself for getting accepted to Princeton :)</p>
<p>When I saw the title of this post, I thought it was going to be dedicated to the fundamental theoroms of Quantum Physics (LIke my scond favorite thing) and it wasnt. Damn. But I can see how looking at it this way helps!!! :)</p>
<p>^^^^ Just read above post. I love pondering the multiple/parrelel universe scenario. Whenever i try to explain it to my friends they just look around like i didnt say anything!. Yay Back to the Future for putting it in simple terms!!!</p>
<p>I’m not saying I agree with that interpretation. I was just explaining it. </p>
<p>The really depressing thing about the branching universe is that if your deferred, there’s also another universe where you are celebrating because you just got into Princeton. It is kind of uncomfortable if others get in and celebrate their acceptances if you didn’t get it, but it’s really aful to think that you are going crazy in another universe.</p>
<p>…if, of course, multiple universes exist, since it is very difficult (if not impossible) to prove. In any case, my existence is stuck in this universe (for better or worse), so regardless of what happens in another universe, it doesn’t affect the reality of the here and now.</p>