I think I heard a collective sigh of relief emanate from Claremont Monday at 5:00PM as several seniors hit the ‘submit’ button on their Fulbright/ Watson fellowship applications. I am so incredibly thrilled to be applying for an English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) Fulbright in Malaysia, but I am also looking forward to nearing the end of the Part 1 of the process (Part 2 is the interview with a Scripps committee). It has been hard to keep focus on thesis and school work because all of my free time these past couple of weeks has been devoted to application editing, editing, and oh yes… more editing (I think I can recite my statements from memory at this point).

My decision to apply for a Fulbright was prompted by several reasons. First, I knew I wanted to take a couple years off before applying to graduate school for my masters in public health. I think it’s important that I give myself the time to gain a full and deep understanding of global health through experimenting with different jobs, internships, and research projects before I dive into a specific grad program. Because right now I am learning towards international health, being abroad after graduation was a high priority. As I was investigating the range of possibilities to gain international experience, the ETA Fulbright program in particular stuck out as a fantastic opportunity. Not only would I get to explore a country I’ve never been to, but I would also get to teach English and propel a mission that I feel really strongly about. My time studying in India evolved this passion. Working in rural villages (which is where 70% of India resides), made me confront and accept that reality that mobility and advancement is only imaginable and truly achievable through knowledge of English. Language access is a HUGE barrier to breaking the cycle of poverty and marginalization, something I had never completely understood prior to studying abroad because I come from a privileged position where English and all the opportunities it affords were never questioned.

While I’m trying not to put all my eggs in the Fulbright basket—given how competitive the fellowship is— it is still hard to invest so much of your energy and time and self into an application and not feel both hopeful and vulnerable. The last application I recall completing that was this extensive would be college applications, and similar sentiments of excitement and anxiety are resurfacing. However, I am trying to channel those feelings into being proactive. I just downloaded a Malaysian news application, ‘The Star ePaper,’ onto my iPhone and made it my goal to read at least two articles a day to make sure I’m staying current on the latest happenings in the country. Right now, I am waiting to meet with a friend from CMC who is actually from Malaysia so she can share any thoughts and insight she has. I also scheduled a mock interview this week with CP&R, so preparations for that are underway. I’m mentally racking through my closet as I type, trying to assemble an appropriate interview outfit. (Can I wear a black blazer with grey slacks? Help! Stay tuned for a later post on what concoction ends up coming together.) While the process can seem overwhelming at times, all of these actions have helped me feel calmer and more confident in my application, as well as more prepared for the upcoming interview.

Sending lots of calming, de-stressing vibes to all my fellow seniors! I had an orange jasmine tea with almond milk for the first time at the Motley yesterday, and it was very delicious, soothing, and of course, caffeinated. I HIGHLY recommend it for a little kick to push through the weekend. Hang in there and best of luck, friends 🙂 Please share any other tips you have for preparing and managing applications– I know I can use them!