Decision Day Tips!

Later today, high school seniors around the world will be obsessively checking their laptops and phones to see if they have received admission to an Ivy League school (or Cornell). We remember how it feels, so we're here with some worldly Harvard wisdom for potential freshmen so that the wait time won’t be so stressful.

Stay distracted! The weird love-hate relationship you have with your laptop only gets worse while you wait for decisions. You could stare at your email box and refresh the page every minute for hours before the email is scheduled to arrive, but you shouldn’t. It won’t make the results come out any faster. Go outside (unless you live in sub-zero Boston), and do your homework for one last time before senioritis fully sets in.

Avoid Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr. You might try to distract yourself from D-day by checking on other people’s statuses and tweets. But it won't prove to be too distracting because all your pages will be filled with other people who have already heard from schools you're waiting to hear from. You might get distracted for a while by your friend’s admission results (Mary got Princeton! I hope she doesn’t hook up with Princeton Mom’s son). But in the end, it will make you more nervous about your results. Play 2048 or Flappy Bird instead. Better yet, read Flyby!

Get comfortable. Being relaxed before you get your decision is key. Wear the comfy Harvard sweatshirt you bought months ago for luck. Have ready access to snacks (this also counts as preparation for college life where you'll find yourself grazing on cereal and goldfish at all times of day).

Have a support system. It's nice to have someone by your side for whatever happens. If you're celebrating, you need some one to scream with. If things don't turn out how you want, a hug from some one you care about will ease the pain.

Best of luck, and no matter what happens, you'll end up in the right place (unless you get into Yale)!