minimouse

WAAAAA??? WELP. Guess my anxiety is heightened.

My Fulbright advisor told me the 30th... Many moons ago (oh, the agony!).

Oh yeah, it's a nice reality slap about the work. Because I've heard people say to please remember that this is a full-time job and not every day will be fun and cooperative as an ETA. I know under South Korea they have all the Fulbrighters meet up for 6 weeks learning how to teach, learning the language, seeing schools, and doing culture workshops before being placed... And some schools just follow a textbook and don't require you to do a lot of planning, and others have you doing a significant amount of work. Both scary and exciting to see where exactly you could end up in the spectrums of places and schools.

How hard is the passport process? I have to pick up my passport photos, I've filled out the paperwork, just have to print it... And then documentation? You just need the front and back scanned on one side of the paper, with each document, correct? I know I have to go in person my first time. None of my friends remember exactly everything they did... And I've never traveled. Family hasn't really traveled and don't know I applied for Fulbright yet. I plan to work on getting my passport if I get into the finalist round.

Ah yeah! Definitely track the Tumblr tag as well!

NOPE! Not alone AT ALL... I've even contacted current Fulbrighters in my country of choice just to talk to them about their experience... Vicariously living through them ahaha. I even watch youtube videos to get geographically acquainted and try to pick up on some of the language.

Oh man, I've had a few self-doubt moments, but my Fulbright advisor was so reassuring! I'm praying it's not in vain.

Oh no! I'm sorry! And that's definitely not the best way to notify us anxious folk... Especially if you've gotten so far!

Ah, did it?? Could've sworn for the finalist selection someone on this board said that whether they were going on to the final round was all on the subject line, and they were devastated. That's good to know though.

It's crazy! Every time I think about it... I have a mini hyperventilating attack haha. Does anyone else think of the countdown in these terms? Like "oh man, soon it'll be the 10th, then it'll be the 15th in less than a week! Then it'll be the halfway mark until we hear back! Then just 15 more days! A LITTLE OVER TWO WEEKS!! AHH!!" *faints* Didn't someone on these forums say that they had whether you were accepted or rejected right in the subject line? I really hope they don't do that. =_=

I applied as an ETA in South Korea. I'm taking a gap year regardless, because I'm not ready for grad school academically/mentally/situationally/financially... Haha! I just need to find a way to keep it movin'; I hate being stagnant! But, such is life! Working out the kinks.

Sorry for double posting! The other replies to this thread were on a new page so I separated them. Hey, fellow December grad! I'm in the same boat. I'm been anxiety-ridden almost ever since I graduated because I wonder myself what IS next?? I'm gonna have to start paying back loans in a few months, I don't know what I wanna do with my life still... Especially during a gap year (and realistically in my situation), I just REALLY don't want to get stuck and unhappy. So I've just been voluntarily drowning myself in every activity I love across the spectrum trying to find a fit toward a new path in life, "just in case." A "plan B"... Anything. Good luck on your interview! I'd hope they would understand the opportunity you'd receive with Fulbright. It's things like this that make me SO SCARED to move anywhere with my life right now. I'm afraid I'll gain so many responsibilities that I'll be trapped and can hardly get away to even find out what makes me happy for the rest of my life. Let alone travel with a great opportunity like Fulbright. Anxious feelings are anxious. I feel like I'm on a time crunch to figure "me" out.

Thank you! And I'm planning to tell everyone who knows "oh well! Better luck next time!" but it will still shatter me no doubt. I have so many waves to cross... If I were to receive this, then I'd work on getting my passport immediately, and get a book to study the language. Gonna try to do all of this without my family knowing, haha. THIS. I JUST had my cousin ask me "what's next?" less than 20 minutes ago. I'm honestly taking a gap year because I have nothing on my resume... But realistically I don't know what I'm doing. I have no car, we live in a bad neighborhood now (as a family)... I'm trying to find a backup career, and my mom's looming over my head to go to grad school NOW... RIGHT NOW. I mean... If you wanna pay for grad apps for farts and giggles, be my guest! I keep telling her I have NOTHING on my resume, but she's not hearing it. She keeps wanting me to unrealistically overshoot and "just try!" Or do business (I'm a communication sciences and disorders major) in grad school... But I don't even know what I'd do with that. I have no desire to just be head over something, just because. So... I've spent a lot of time since graduating just studying Korean, reading ebooks about my future, looking up other careers, working on a blog, etc. etc... And yet it's just something else my mom yells at me for... Wasting my time online, when I'm not. It's just all getting VERY old. Haha, I need this change in my life. I need to grow and get ahead and so much more that could come from this. I'm sorry... Rant and novel over!

Hello! New to the board. =) Applied for Korea ETA. I knew about Gradcafe, but didn't think there would be a Fulbright forum. Woot! I am both so ready and scared to hear if I'm a finalist on the 30th! I read somewhere on the forum that people have already dreamed about getting in. Haha, I had a nightmare a few months back that I forgot to send additional information and realized it too late. Woke up with the sweats, emailing my Fulbright advisor in fear. He calmed me down, per usual haha. I graduated in December, so I'm currently growing unbearably anxious because I have NO clue what my future holds. I can't even think of a realistic plan B... I'm so scared! I REALLY want this wonderful opportunity, and I'm trying not to overthink, but it's hard! Glad I can talk to you guys, my family doesn't know I applied yet so it's nice to talk to people in similar situations and who are supportive. I know my friends are sick of hearing about it, lol!