Need Advice on Institutional Action

[fishyscent]

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Hi everyone,

Thanks for the input. This is really stupid but not sure what to do.

My senior year I lived alone in on-campus housing and had a little fish tank in my room (literally an old tide-pods container with one little fish). It was found during a random room check, my fish was confiscated (and never returned - SAD), and then I was forced to do like 4 hours of Community service for violating the housing policy.

I honestly totally forgot this had happened until that little IA box popped up in the app.
All suggestions appreciated.

Thanks

 

[deleted781806]

If you had to report to some University Administration Official to do the community service, or to just talk about violating the housing policy, this would probably count as an IA. You should definitely talk to someone at your university to see if they consider it an IA or not, as this is what determines whether or not you need to report it.

Even if it is one, you can just mention it plainly and I have a feeling the most that this would do to your application is give the reviewers a good chuckle, nothing negative would come out of this.

 

[LizzyM]

Check the box, describe it as you did above (omit "sad"), give us a chuckle. I predict that there will be a subtle bias favoring your application by all the pet lovers out there on the adcom. It's a great hook, too. You will be "fish guy".

 

[Philtheparakeet]

LOL definitely mention it. It's not the worst thing in the world.

 

[LizzyM]

I supposed I should have avoided the word "hook" around the fish guy.

 

[fishyscent]

Wow, thanks for the advice. Never thought this could somehow actually be a plus. I was thinking that IAs were used as some sort of blind screening tool in earlier rounds but I guess this just isn't the case.

 

[LizzyM]

The angst that students make over these things.

"IA: was found to a pet (gold fish in bowl) in violation of campus housing policy. I was required to do 4 hours of community service of WHAT YOU WERE REQUIRED TO DO. The fish was confiscated and never returned."

I would write it this way to show how near ludicrous this was

It is issue that will have no impact. Indeed it could help by the memorable comment "Oh yeah, that was the one with silly a$$ gold fish IA"

I liked the "old tide-pods container" phrase. The original wording gave me a real visual that I found endearing. I'd go with:

During my senior year I lived alone in on-campus housing and had a an old tide-pods container with one little fish in my room. It was found during a random room check; the fish was confiscated and never returned . I was required to do 4 hours of community service for violating the housing policy.

 

[Goro]

I will avoid any line with a pun in it. BTW, completely coincidentally, just yesterday I was showing someone one of the most creative pun/double entendre/word play pieces I know which is all about fish

There's something fishy about this whole thread. And I'm worried about you, Gonnif. You're like a shark in the water where puns are concerned. I expect that you are fishing for complements now. I will not take the bait!

 

[fishyscent]

haha, ok, sounds good. Honestly, I had that fish since sophomore year of high school so it was pretty frustrating that I didn't get it back. wasn't even a nice one, just a little silver guy, but good company nonetheless.

 

[Goro]

Oh, please if I dropped a good line right now on porpoise, I would reel you right in, especially since we all know whats worse than a lobster on your piano

Bait me all you want, I'm not going to trawl for a response. So I'd better leave with deep bass rumble before the moderator lox the thread!

 

[Goro]

Oh I will smoke you out like the whitefish your are and pickle you like a herring . Whether a sea gull or a bay gull, I will not let schmear my good name

You're getting full of bologna now. Mayo I quote you on those?

 

[Goro]

Mixing these fish and meat comments just aint kosher. even with these rye comments you sandwich me. now I must break for lunch

The Prince of Punnery is eating my lunch. I'll have to chew on this for better responses. But I promise not to be salty. And no sour grapes, either.

 

[DrHart]

Ah the dad jokes

 

[fishyscent]

Wait, what did they do with the fish if they didn't give it back to you??

I still don't know, I think they said they gave it to the "staff" but who the heck knows. They definitely didn't handle it right, but it was senior year and was so ready to be done that I just let it go.

 

[kb1900]

this IA should be the start to finding nemo 3

start looking!

 

[Goro]

I still don't know, I think they said they gave it to the "staff" but who the heck knows. They definitely didn't handle it right, but it was senior year and was so ready to be done that I just let it go.

What penal colony was this anyway?

 

[Lawpy]

 

[Wingardium Leviosa]

Holy Mackerel! You're all giving me a haddock!

...now that I've let that out, I'm feeling a little bluefish.

 

[geronimo11]

Wow this is the cutest reason for institutions action I've ever read. Seriously, fish puns aside, don't do anything just include it with that same casual, humorous approach. It may end up being the thing that makes your app a rainbow fish in the sea of other applicants. 4 sparky rainbow scales for you.