The chairman for the Duke interviewing committee has e-mailed the bunch of us asking us for brief introductions, and I am sorely tempted to pretend that I never got the message. Two of the five have replied and they're both illustrious CEOs in the making with Coca Cola and ABN AMRO, scintillating global escapades and all. In the mean time, of course, their e-mails are devastatingly self-deprecating and perfectly punctuated.

So, the dilemma.

If I introduce myself I'm going to be like, um, hi, I've accomplished nothing of very great significance in my 24 God-given years and look all set for a life of seething discontent. Nice to meet you too.

And if I don't they'll think I'm an obnoxious git.