Here's A Keeper

So I was just now opening some of my unopened college letters, expecting the same old rubbish they usually send, when to my amazement something other than a "We hope you'll choose us, because you're unique, and we like that" letter fell into my lap. At first I was puzzled by the smooth, glossy texture and contrasting colors, but this puzzlement quickly gave way to ecstatic curiosity as I recognized the image silhouetted in black against the gigantic white lunar sphere. It (or rather, he) had a large flying contraption, somewhat resembling a sleigh, being pulled by a troupe of exactly eight animals strikingly similar in shape to your everyday reindeer.

"Egad!" I exclaimed in surprise. I checked the image again. It was most definitely Santa Claus. Noticing that the letter had been folded in thirds, I unfolded it and paused for several seconds trying to grasp what I was looking at.

It was the "North Pole Control Center", as proclaimed by the business-like marquee drawn along the wall. Inside this control center were seven short little people of diverse race and gender donned in green with pointy little hats. They appeared hard at work reading the numerous computer monitors, some of which displayed labels such as "Engineering Testing", "Meteorology and Weather Center", and "Flight Planning". My mouth agape, I realized what this was. It was a Christmas card. From a college. One that I hadn't even applied to.

"There's something fishy about this," I said. I turned the card over. On the back was the more traditional college logo, but mostof the space was taken up by a calendar of the year 2006. And what's more: at the bottom of the card wasa section entitled "Calendar of Important Dates", which listed the deadlines for each of the application forms. How oddly considerate of them!

And then I returned my eye to the top of the page and read one sentence that made me giggity with the effervescence of a million tiny bubbles of happiness. Emblazoned in festive red italics was the greeting: "Happy New Year from the Embry-Riddle Office of Admissions!"

At this point I set the card down and took five minutes to digest what I had just read.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is brilliant advertising. This is how to attract people to a college. No other college seemed this genuine in its affections. No other college even remotely suggested that it cares about its (prospective) students enough to send greeting cards out over the holidays. Hell, I haven't received a college letter that even laid out all the application deadlines in a concise, easy-to-find location. Take note: in the world of success, kindness will make you stand out. The sentiment expressed in this card far outweighs any perceptions of "convenience" I've felt from colleges that sent full application forms and urged me to submit as soon as possible for the "best chance to succeed".

I now have a strong desire to finish my application to ERAU. Meh, maybe tomorrow. Meanwhile, the card is going into my drawer of special stuff beside Eirene's Christmas card, my leaky highlighters, and Vivian's ninja turtle.