MY DIVINE PLANNER

BY JULIE FURBUSH

I didn't realize my way of approaching my life-schedule was messed up ... until my life-schedule got messed up.

My whole plan was to go to India to study abroad during my junior year of college. I'd jotted it down (with a permanent marker) on my mental calendar—about four years before the travel date—and fully intended to follow through with it. I admired the Indian students who passed me in class or on the subway. And I was appropriately in love with the idea of trekking through the country, seeing the colorful Hindu prayer flags, and eating naan (traditional flatbread).

When it was time to apply to go abroad to India, I was ready. I had my program picked out, application in, and felt happy. But as trips were beginning to fill up, I found my name on neither my first, second, third, nor fourth choice program locations. Bye-bye, India.