Stages of Waiting
Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 7:13 pm
After observing for a while and going through the wait myself, I can distinguish different stages of waiting and the psychological stages.
Day # 1: You are confident and feeling good. You have completed all of your training, got your finger prints done. You have mailed the documents off after checking and rechecking them. You're very optimistic because you sent them priority mail with a return receipt, "this should kick-start the process" you think to yourself.
One week after mailing:
"No updates, what could be wrong? Did the packet get lost?" You consider calling DPS. In fact, you did call but hung up after 30 minutes on hold. You turn to the Internet and find this forum. Now you find out you have another week to wait. Seems normal according to the forum members. NO need to panic.
Documents Recieved day:
"Allright!" most of the stuff has a green check mark, is in a green box and has some sort of confirmation after each item. "Background check under review"...."Oh, I got this in the bag, my background is squeaky clean, that should only take a few days."
End of first week in background check:
You think, "What's up with this?" After all, you're clean..... Time to check the forum. "ok, let's see.....there's a couple of people that only took a week in background check, I'm still good."......."Whoa!!!, there's one that took 71 days!!!! I mean wholly cow!!!!!" ...." But, that's not me."
Week two background check:
You basically spend most of this week checking on your status five or more times a day. If you have time you check out the other sections; such as the off limits areas and new to chl. Your inpatients mounts.
Week three, or whatever!who cares:
Much of this week is like the last week except you start to accept your fate. You are still frustrated, but what can you do. You are seriously considering calling DPS. "geeze, that guy took 71 days before he got plastic in hand"......."hope mine don't take that long"......"Wait just a darned minute!!!!! There's one that submitted after me and they got their plastic. That's bull hockey !!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
.......Ok that's all I got for now. Y'all feel free to add to it.
Day # 1: You are confident and feeling good. You have completed all of your training, got your finger prints done. You have mailed the documents off after checking and rechecking them. You're very optimistic because you sent them priority mail with a return receipt, "this should kick-start the process" you think to yourself.
One week after mailing:
"No updates, what could be wrong? Did the packet get lost?" You consider calling DPS. In fact, you did call but hung up after 30 minutes on hold. You turn to the Internet and find this forum. Now you find out you have another week to wait. Seems normal according to the forum members. NO need to panic.
Documents Recieved day:
"Allright!" most of the stuff has a green check mark, is in a green box and has some sort of confirmation after each item. "Background check under review"...."Oh, I got this in the bag, my background is squeaky clean, that should only take a few days."
End of first week in background check:
You think, "What's up with this?" After all, you're clean..... Time to check the forum. "ok, let's see.....there's a couple of people that only took a week in background check, I'm still good."......."Whoa!!!, there's one that took 71 days!!!! I mean wholly cow!!!!!" ...." But, that's not me."
Week two background check:
You basically spend most of this week checking on your status five or more times a day. If you have time you check out the other sections; such as the off limits areas and new to chl. Your inpatients mounts.
Week three, or whatever!who cares:
Much of this week is like the last week except you start to accept your fate. You are still frustrated, but what can you do. You are seriously considering calling DPS. "geeze, that guy took 71 days before he got plastic in hand"......."hope mine don't take that long"......"Wait just a darned minute!!!!! There's one that submitted after me and they got their plastic. That's bull hockey !!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
.......Ok that's all I got for now. Y'all feel free to add to it.
Let's see here is a section with a poll of wait times....hmmmmm 30% of people went past greater than 28 days in background check, Seriously? WOW!....How much greater???....maybe...71 days! This is crazy, I'm gonna call and see what's up, How the hell do you get a 10 day background check anyway??? must be a nun!... or geez must be a 21 year old Navy SEAL with a Top Secret Clearence working as security for Rick Perry. I'll call @ about 4 o'clock maybe it will change before then... 
tick tock tick tock... WOW! It's 4 O'clock, no change, THAT'S IT! I'm gonna call...then again...maybe that's why that guy went 71 days, he ticked them off! and they showed him what a real wait is all about!!! 
Damn...It's 4:15, the heck with it I'M REALLY CALLING THIS TIME! dial, dial, dial, ring, ring..YES... Hi 
I am calling about my CHL....yes... my Dl# sure1234567...everything's fine you say....no problems eh (not from where I'm sitting) what, what, you say it's in printing! you mean they are prtinting it! really! 
well uhhh ok then thanks cool. have a good day...click. WOW!!! I got to go check the website I got to see this!...what!....NO CHANGE! UGH! when do they update this thing??? Was this guy just shining me on??? Maybe that was the janitor trying to be funny....or they just wanna get me off the phone, it was after all 4 o'clock...4:15 actually...I'll check again at 5! Sure, certainly when every one is gone at 5pm maybe they update the computer on the way out the door!!! 
it could happen! ok... here we go dl# 1234...
