Every year, millions of seniors are notified of their college acceptances on or around the dreaded date of April 1. As soon as a student is accepted, it is only a matter of minutes before the majority of seniors are aware. Naturally, every student pretends to be an admissions officer and judges whether or not the college’s decision to accept that specific student was justified. The student who was accepted, however, must choose between openly celebrating his or her acceptance and attempting to conceal his or her excitement for fear of disrespecting classmates. It is a difficult choice to make, but consider the fact that, at Gunn, we openly share in each other’s failures on our annual “Rejection Wall.” Why should acceptances be any different? After four years of grueling work in high school and another six months spent on college applications, students have the right to revel in their acceptances appropriately.

Everyone chooses to celebrate in his or her own way. While some rush to their school’s Web site to purchase much needed bragging apparel, others just let the news spread quietly. Perhaps some revel in the idea of keeping such a significant secret, but most of us want to share our success with others. Insults and purposeful bragging are one thing, but respectfully showing one’s happiness is another. As young adults we should be able to judge what actions are appropriate. There clearly is a difference between shoving an acceptance letter in a friend’s face and reporting acceptance news with a smile. An unspoken code of conduct exists surrounding this topic, and students need to understand that. Even though there are guidelines to follow, we should not conceal our natural emotions simply because it is a sensitive issue.

If you find yourself angry because another student is happy about his or her acceptance, remember that every senior is going through the same process. Use the classic, clichéd method of imagining yourself in the student’s shoes. It is doubtful that you would want to keep post-acceptance jubilance inside. Sometimes the best way to keep from becoming jealous is to try to be genuinely happy for them. When this is not possible (let’s say your worst enemy got into Yale), keep your mind on your own college decisions. Trust me, there’s enough to worry about.

Being able to share in the successes of others is a necessary skill for life after high school. Life will always be full of ups and downs—if you cringe when another student smiles after he or she was accepted, you will likely act in the same manner when your coworker gets that coveted promotion. We all need to grow up and let people celebrate as they wish. While I am not suggesting that we construct an “acceptance wall” next to our tribute to rejections, it is time to create a more welcoming environment to share our emotions about college–both good and bad.