Soda becomes vodka. Bikes become cars. Kisses turn into sex. Remember when Dad's shoulders were the highest place on earth and Mom was your hero? Race issues were about who ran the fastest, and war was only a card game. The most pain you felt was when you skinned your knees, and goodbyes only meant until tomorrow... And we couldn't wait to grow up

On Feb 24th, 2021, I received a letter of rejection from the Ph.D. in Economics Program at the University of Chicago.
On Feb 27th, 2024, I got my first letter of acceptance for the Ph.D. in International Economics and Finance.

In halls of thought where minds entwine, I sought a place, a dream to call mine. With hope as my lantern, ambition my guide, To the gates of knowledge, I applied. An odyssey of words, a future penned, In applications, my aspirations I'd send. Each letter a wish, each essay a plea, A bid for a realm where my mind could roam free. But the universe whispers in ways unforeseen, Not every endeavor blooms into a scene. A letter returned, not with welcome, but decline, A note that read, "Not this time." In the quiet aftermath, amidst shadow and sigh, Where dreams hover like clouds in a storm-ridden sky. It's easy to wonder, to lament, and to ask, "Why?" To let the spark of ambition, in the face of refusal, die. Yet, within this rejection, a lesson lies bare, Not of defeat, but of chance to prepare. For every no hides a path to a yes, A twist in the story, no need to obsess. So, I gather my dreams, tattered but bold, Ready to rewrite the tales untold. With each setback, a new strength I find, In the resilient corners of my determined mind. The journey's not over, merely a bend in the road, A pause in the quest for the knowledge abode. With renewed vigor, my aspirations I'll resend, For in the pursuit of passion, there's no definitive end. A refusal, a moment, but my resolve stands tall, In the quest for enlightenment, I'll surpass it all. For every scholar knows, through rejection, we grow, And in the garden of academia, resilience is what we sow.