eternalwhitenights

Fyi it's University of Iowa, CNF track, NWP (I'm assuming that means New Writers Program?). Not sure what everyone applied to, or if this applies to any fiction applicants here on our forum, but wanted to let y'all know! P.S. BREATHE. You are a great writer regardless if you get into Iowa.

Thank you. I thought there couldn't be a more perfect place than this forum to use that picture, ha.

I'm not sure it's malevolence as much as nefarious boredom. Ah well.

My instincts were right!! Marshall, how you doin', babes?

Congrats!!! I hope you get to live out all your Oregonian dreams and write till the cows come home.

Congrats, y'all. I am so proud of this group. Also, I'm not sure if University of Iowa is in Bloomington (?), but someone just posted in Draft that they got an email about being waitlisted for poetry at "IU Bloomington," if there are any people who have applied to that particular school, just as a heads up. EDIT: Haha, just googled and realized she must be referring to "Indiana University--Bloomington," not something with Iowa!!! I didn't want to freak out people on here because I know so many of y'all applied to Iowa! If anyone applied to Indiana University in Bloomington, though, hopefully that tadbit of info helps you in some way.

I'm reading "A Suitable Boy" by Vikram Seth. It was the biggest novel I could find in the bookstore a few years back, and through all the stuff I've been through the past few years, I promised myself I would read that to honor my recommitment to my writing and my novel and my love for literature and books. I'm only on the first couple of pages, but it's great so far.

Я говорю русскый язык тоже!! Очень приятно! ?

Um, hello, we might be soulmates? I'm looking at my copy of "Kindred" on my bookshelf as I type this, and I majored in Russian Studies pretty much precisely because I wanted to be able to read Dostoyevsky (and other Russian authors) in the original someday. Unfortunately, I haven't ventured onto Gogol himself yet, but Dead Souls is 1000% on my to-read list.

I'd say that's a hopeful signal, then. I feel like I've seen rejections on the results page here in GradCafe from Vandy, and there were a few people who posted in Draft who said that they were waitlisted for fiction. You never know!

I think it would be SO freaking rad if we both ended up in the same program. How utterly cool would it be to have a friend going into the program and be like, YO, we met on gradcafe!! It's like having an ally going in. And yes, I think South Bend would be great. I just love the holistic nature of their program, and you can tell they have their s*it together when it comes to the way they organize their stuff. One of the first virtual classes I attended just happened to be with a professor who I would LITERALLY want as my faculty adviser since so many of his interests are in the same historical space as mine. Also, he has an English accent, which is bomb, and it would be SO MUCH FUN to be in his classes. Did you officially hear back from Vanderbilt, then? I know you were waiting on there and WashU over the past few days. ❤️

Y'all, I am feeling it today. I've been attending webinars for Notre Dame that the Keough School of Global Affairs has put on virtually (like once a week classes) that are free, on various subjects of literature and politics and theology, and the more I've seen of the vibe of the faculty and the school atmosphere, the more my desire to go there grows each day. Every single virtual event I've attended has just confirmed for me that this is the next right step in my life, and I want it so bad I think my heart will burst from the desire, anticipation, and hope. AAHHHHHHHHH I didn't want to get attached too quickly because I obvs don't know if I'll get in or not, but my heart is so, so open to and ready for this, and I just want it so much. I think I will scream and leap and cry as soon as I hear the result. My heart is in this, y'all! Just wow. The thought of having a dedicated two-three years to just write my novel and research for it and grow as a writer kind of makes me want to explode into butterflies.

Man, this group is popping today. Congratulations!!!!!

Oh, I'm so happy for you love. ❤️ Congrats!!!!

I only applied to one school, Notre Dame, super, super last minute (like, I submitted on the last day you could), so you're not alone. Congrats on getting your applications in--that's often the biggest step, and that's a huge accomplishment all on its own. You know, I think at the end of the day, if you write from your heart, if you're authentic in your work, if you are emotionally honest in your prose and your words and your experience, and you couple that with truly focusing on programs that have both faculty and the resources relevant and helpful to your proposed MFA, and if you are truly open to learning and growing and being pushed in your work, then you're 90% of the way there. Weird shit happens (i.e. a global pandemic) that can throw things into a wild-card status, but what matters, what truly matters, is that you are authentic, that you are you, and that you write from your deepest depths. Authenticity, emotion, existential resonance--that is what matters, if your work and your words speak to the complexities and richness and paradoxes and freewheeling joys of the human experience, and you do it in a way, where you are just yourself--your work will make an impact, some way, somehow, and the key is to keep going, and keep writing. You can do it, whatever that journey ends up looking like ultimately, no matter how many zigs and zags it contains, I promise. ❤️ You've got this. ❤️

Friends, I believe Marshall/gustav has made another appearance. Panglosian, he's been a troll on here popping up under different usernames--pay no mind. Hope you're doing all right, and I hope you got waitlisted, too. Keep us posted. ❤️

I know there's been a lot of acceptances and waitlists for WashU over on Draft and the "results" page here on GradCafe, and I know there are a lot of you here who applied to it. I'm sending prayers, hugs, love, and encouragement, and don't give up. Wanted to pop this meme in here to remind y'all of something important:

P.S. St. Louis is a pretty great place. WashU has a beautiful campus (it can be a little hoity-toity, IMHO), but there are TONS of cool little places and neighborhoods to discover. I'm partial to Dogtown, Central West End, Forest Park, Tower Grove, South Grand (that's THE place to go to try new international restaurants), and the Shaw Neighborhood. Sometimes, you have to look a bit, but St. Louis is a really beautiful city and the rent here is bomb compared to other places, haha!

Congrats babe! Also, y'all, have some faith in yourselves. All you need is one school to say yes. You can do it. ❤️

Awww thank you. ❤️ That compliment made my day haha! Confirmed and agreed. Thanks for the heads-up.

Aaaaand I think you just proved my gut suspicion. Can you please stop being rude to people on this forum, whoever you are? I truly do wish you well, but you're really not adding to any conversation or sense of community here, so can you please stop the rude comments? Thank you.

Tbh, I wasn't as sure about you. ? Sorry, there's just been a spate of posts/harassment with this guy who's been trying to troll this page and keeps popping up under different profile names, and because your post's tone seemed to be going along with this gustav guy's (who is very obviously a troll), I brought it up. I do apologize if I was off there and misunderstood. I hope you're not a troll, haha!

Y'all, I think Gustav and Wolfman are trolls. Is there a way to report them?

Umm....huh? Lol.

Because you're human and only have so much time and energy. You did great. You've got this. You're going to be okay, promise. ❤️