Blowing It Across the Board

Question

In another thread, we got talking about how horrible it would be to get dinged at every single school you applied to. But what do you call such a phenomenon? 

I voted for "Shooting the Moon." In the card game hearts, you normally try to avoid getting points. However, if you manage to get all the points in a hand, then you get to give all the points to you opponent, which is called Shooting the Moon. Of course, I recognize that this analogy only works half-way, but feel it at least has a somewhat positive connotation.

Lepium votes "FUBARed the application process" and, when questioned about the usage of the term, adds "FUBAR is both an adjective and a verb, so make your choice and go ahead. I personally prefer the verb version, i.e.: "I FUBARed the application season", 'cause it conveys the idea of you taking responsibility. On the other hand, FUBAR would be suitable to whine about the process, regardless of what you have achieved. But I recognize the CAPS / NON CAPS construction may sound awkward."

Your thoughts? In psychotherapy, "naming" your fears is an important part of the process. We can't let this horrible phenomenon go unnamed. Panicked 'clubbers deserve appropriate verbage for their posts! 

What would you call this sad event, if you were dinged across the board?

lepium · Answer

If I may, I'd like to change my version to "FUBARed this application season" to give it a somehow positive spin (this version gives the applicant the chance to rock the next application season).

Cheers. L.

PS: seems like pants pooping has finally caught up with us!

pelihu · Answer

Hey, you forgot my suggestion. If I get rejected from every school I'm going to say "Hand me a knife" as in hand me a knife so I can slit my wrists. Try saying it out loud, "hand me a knife" while make a cutting motion across your wrists.

Shoot the moon is more when you go after something really tough, and then accomplish it. It's the opposite.

biggamejames · Answer

I'm going to "quit my job and start selling doorbells."

biggamejames · Answer

dupe

johnnyx9 · Answer

How about:

1. Shooting blanks (too much innuendo?) (As in "Where did you get in?" "Oh nowhere, turns out I was shooting blanks")
2. Striking out (too obvious?)
3. Made donations (As in "So where did you get in?" "Oh, nowhere, I was just making donations)
4. I got in to NFU (As in "So where did you get in?" "NFU" "North....Florida....University?" "Nowhere, f*k you!")

fluffydot · Answer

How about "I g0t pwnx0r3d to teh m4x"?

batchgmat · Answer

How about....

AdComm watch out, I am armed and loaded.

lepium · Answer

How 'bout: 

Adcoms have gone medieval on my @ss this season.

(freely adapted from Pulp Fiction).

pelihu · Answer

How about "grab my ankles" as in Adcoms from all around hated my applications and made me grab my ankles. :-D

lepium · Answer

Going back in time, it seems that almost all of us succeeded in getting admitted to some very good schools. Apart from biggame (whose status I don't know), we have made it into the Elite and Ultra - Elite groups. 

So, congrats to all and....phew! we didn't have to use any name...

Cheers. L.

johnnyx9 · Answer

It's definitely good to be done with that whole "waiting anxiously" phase.

pelihu · Answer

Yeah, waiting really sucks.

3underscore · Answer

Yeah. There's an image that couldn't come to haunt you.

OasisNYK · Answer

<---currently blowing it at every school - holding on to 2 wait lists :oops:

Blowing It Across the Board

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