Last Friday, the "stay-at-home order" was reinstated.
What was unexpected was
that netizens worldwide showed 100% compliance.
All because of these two men being behind it.
Behind all this
it was neither a moral decline nor a distortion of human nature
but simply because "Elden Ring" was released.
This dark fantasy action role-playing game
has been highly anticipated since its official announcement in 2019
and upon release, received unanimous perfect scores from gaming media as a masterpiece.
Of course, this new entry in the "Souls" series
has once again deterred a large number of newcomers jumping on the bandwagon.
To truly get the hang of this high-difficulty game
is really, really, really not easy.
Did you suffer today?
"Elden Ring" has ascended to the most difficult title from FromSoftware to date.
How hard is this game? Even players of the "Souls" series wouldn't dare say it's easy, let alone beginners new to this genre.
They say the beginning shouldn't be too hard—just check out the "deterrent boss" waiting right outside the gate.
They say the open world allows free exploration, only to die everywhere you go.
Many netizens have been venting their frustrations these days, saying the game is so hard it's driving them to despair and making them question life.
22 Fall Application Season: Have You Suffered?
For international students who have been brutally crushed by "Elden Ring," this feeling may be all too familiar—just look at this year's application season.
In the post-pandemic era, a new wave of "study abroad fever" has swept across the globe. Wasn't it said that few would apply for Fall 2022? Yet the entire application season, from undergraduate to graduate, saw hordes of applicants "suffering" together.
It seems everyone was putting on a smokescreen earlier...
22 Fall Application Season's Insane Involution
Looking specifically at graduate applications, throughout the entire season, "hard to get in" and "involution" became the core topics of discussion this year.
Programs are too "competitive"
Profiles and standardized test scores that used to guarantee admission are now receiving rejection letters without even an interview...
Schools are too "selective"
Rejecting "applicant sharks," and even those who secure spots but pay deposits late may lose their offers...
Regions are too "competitive"
Offers from the UK, Canada, Hong Kong, and Singapore are hard to come by; expectations keep dropping, and safeties become reaches...
No matter how involutional the season, there are still show-offs
Just like character performance in "Elden Ring," every application season, applicants start with different initial strengths and later gain varying attribute bonuses.
Taking the two extreme examples of "admit gods" and "total reject tragedies" to help you understand applicant profiles:
Therefore, no matter how fierce the competition and involution each year, there is no shortage of humblebraggers who have so many offers in hand that they decline one of their dream schools and send rejection letters themselves.
There are even sentimental souls who elegantly reply to the school's admission email with a "love rejection letter"—an unnecessary move that's the ultimate "scum" behavior!
What makes these students so capable that they turn their dream schools into "backup options"?
This is how top applicants operate
We surveyed the profiles of these top applicants and found that over 90% share one common trait:
Plan early, prepare early, apply early
No matter how diverse the programs, how tough the standardized test prep, or how many academic and internship commitments—preparing thoroughly and personally in advance, improving yourself in all aspects, and seizing the advantage of early application makes it truly hard for your dream school not to snatch you up!
Facing increasingly fierce application competition, having effective control over time is the primary prerequisite for gaining an edge in graduate applications.
Many students are now also considering applying to multiple countries/regions, hoping to reduce risk and increase admission chances to some extent.
But applying to graduate school is time-consuming and laborious; wanting to apply to multiple universities in two or more countries/regions within a single application season is no easy feat.
Even if the language of the application destinations is the same, issues involving application materials, submission deadlines, enrollment dates, and visa requirements will add complexity to the process.
To triumph over top schools in various regions, effective advance planning is essential; otherwise, the application season will truly leave you overwhelmed!
Quickly check out the graduate application timelines for the three most popular destinations—the U.S., UK, and Canada:
Studying abroad applications are a long-term systematic project; only by planning and preparing early can you seize the advantage and be selected by top schools ahead of time!
Otherwise, just wait to suffer in the next application season...
Wishing everyone the best in preparing seriously and successfully landing an offer from your dream school~
