2021 Applicants Forum

[Ydrl]

1 minute ago, cecsav said:

It's my writing sample! ?

Welcome back from the dead J.R.R. Tolkien, how was your trip back?

[aa2427]

2 minutes ago, TshirtDome said:

Everything I have read consistently says that your sample is far and away most important. Unless you both write the same, I doubt it matters. And if demography is a big enough deal that they'll throw a solid app out then meh sounds like dumb place anyway in my opinion.

Such a good point, thank you. Plus, I guess if I were to miraculously get accepted there, I would have someone with a common past to befriend and share my thoughts with. Also, I think this is my sign to drop the internet program stalking until at least March

[TshirtDome]

1 minute ago, aa2427 said:

Such a good point, thank you. Plus, I guess if I were to miraculously get accepted there, I would have someone with a common past to befriend and share my thoughts with. Also, I think this is my sign to drop the internet program stalking until at least March

You'll be back, just fiending for all this information that is only speculative, unfulfilling, inconclusive gossip!

[arden]

48 minutes ago, Ydrl said:

I’ll pose a question to distract us: How many of y’all are actively writing like nothing’s happening?

 

Oh, I'm absolutely not writing like normal—and it's killing me! I'm sure like you said once all the decisions are in I'll snap back into it, but right now I feel like my creative block is contributing to some of my anxieties about my ~ future ~ as a writer, if an MFA doesn't work out for me. But, I'm trying to make myself get into a better writing routine so that even if it's not my "normal," it's at least something.

And thanks to everyone who suggested other craft books! I'm definitely trying to make sure I keep up on my reading even if I'm not writing as much as I'd like. It's been tough to adjust to not being in school anymore while also waiting to hear back...

Edited February 18, 2021 by arden

[Ydrl]

AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

I GOT INTO SJCNY!!!!!!!

I’M GOING TO COLLEGE.

Brb I’m gonna go move my car and maybe cry happy tears a little bit.

[cecsav]

2 minutes ago, Ydrl said:

AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

I GOT INTO SJCNY!!!!!!!

I’M GOING TO COLLEGE.

Brb I’m gonna go move my car and maybe cry happy tears a little bit.

Congrats!

[CayceCamus]

7 minutes ago, Ydrl said:

AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

I GOT INTO SJCNY!!!!!!!

I’M GOING TO COLLEGE.

Brb I’m gonna go move my car and maybe cry happy tears a little bit.

??? Hell yes you did it!

[mrvisser]

1 hour ago, Ydrl said:

I suppose the vast majority of us are so bored/anxious that we keep focusing on admissions and numbers.

I’ll pose a question to distract us: How many of y’all are actively writing like nothing’s happening?

My answer is: I’m not writing like I usually do. It happened last year too. After all my decisions are in, then I’ll go into a writing frenzy with all the ideas I’m collecting currently. I’m considering fleshing out a short story idea I’ve kept for a year.

I'm not writing like I was before applying. I get spurts here and there where I'll be really productive for a day. The positive thing is that I'm always mapping out ideas and I know what to work on. My life in general is kind of up in there, even besides applications, so i'm confident I'll get back on track once I hear from all the schools.

[shanbanan]

1 hour ago, Ydrl said:

I suppose the vast majority of us are so bored/anxious that we keep focusing on admissions and numbers.

I’ll pose a question to distract us: How many of y’all are actively writing like nothing’s happening?

My answer is: I’m not writing like I usually do. It happened last year too. After all my decisions are in, then I’ll go into a writing frenzy with all the ideas I’m collecting currently. I’m considering fleshing out a short story idea I’ve kept for a year.

I haven't been writing much throughout this process. This whole waiting game has me feeling a little too self-aware and critical. So, even when I do find the energy to write, I end up second guessing everything I'm putting down on the page. One thing that has helped me is to do Julia Cameron's "morning pages" first thing, before checking email, portals, etc. I've loved this practice for years -- and it usually helps me get out of my own way, and also helps generates ideas for future projects. I also enrolled in a 10-week writing workshop that just happened to fall over this period of waiting to hear back from schools.  While that timing is pure coincidence, it has helped me remember why I love this. 

[Boomer not Ok]

I was wondering the same. I was writing quite a bit at night especially after I got all my apps in and took a short story I had published several years ago (it was on the long side, almost 8,000 words) and now it's become a novella at about 40,000 words (did this in a frenzy over about 6 weeks). I am hoping I can use it as the basis for my thesis, IF I get in somewhere. I would love to spend the next few years reworking it and doing the research to fill in some parts that require some specialized depth. I've also reworked a flash that didn't go anywhere into a short story. I figure it needs about 2 more weeks of polishing and then I'll send it out. 

[arden]

30 minutes ago, Ydrl said:

AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

I GOT INTO SJCNY!!!!!!!

I’M GOING TO COLLEGE.

Brb I’m gonna go move my car and maybe cry happy tears a little bit.

congratulations!! ? 

[Jjayy]

Is it common for acceptance notifications (via phone) to come on weekends? Asking because I'm thinking about not carrying around my phone all weekend anymore (in addition to the weekdays...lol). 

[mrvisser]

12 minutes ago, Jjayy said:

Is it common for acceptance notifications (via phone) to come on weekends? Asking because I'm thinking about not carrying around my phone all weekend anymore (in addition to the weekdays...lol). 

There are several people on Draft who mentioned getting acceptance calls on weekends.

[Jjayy]

1 hour ago, mrvisser said:

There are several people on Draft who mentioned getting acceptance calls on weekends.

Thanks

[anna23]

1 hour ago, Ydrl said:

AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

I GOT INTO SJCNY!!!!!!!

I’M GOING TO COLLEGE.

Brb I’m gonna go move my car and maybe cry happy tears a little bit.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! omg this is exciting!!!

 

Also -- if there is anyone on Draft who sees anything in regards to the University of San Francisco or Hunter College please let me know (although I will be obsessively checking GradCafe of course)

[Ash...]

2 hours ago, cecsav said:

I've pretty much given up on my application portals. I haven't received a single rejection notification, and every portal except one (FIU - says incomplete, looks like a LOR did not get sent) still says something to the effect of pending/awaiting departmental review/under review etc - including the one acceptance I received via phone. 

However, I did have a dream that I was accepted to the University of Florida. 

Hey! I went to FIU for undergrad and know a lot of the creative writing faculty. Theyre  easy to work with and I’d suggest calling to work it out. Good luck!

[spacedumpster]

Hoorayyyyyy I'm on a wait list!!! (University of South Florida)

Glad to know I have not been immediately rejected from everywhere, but I'm still going to resent them just a little bit for not considering me a first choice. ?

[mrvisser]

1 hour ago, Ydrl said:

AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

I GOT INTO SJCNY!!!!!!!

I’M GOING TO COLLEGE.

Brb I’m gonna go move my car and maybe cry happy tears a little bit.

Hell to the yes!!! Congrats!!!!

[mrvisser]

Just now, spacedumpster said:

Hoorayyyyyy I'm on a wait list!!! (University of South Florida)

Glad to know I have not been immediately rejected from everywhere, but I'm still going to resent them just a little bit for not considering me a first choice. ?

That's great! Lots of positive news on here today.

[fishfish24]

1 hour ago, shanbanan said:

I haven't been writing much throughout this process. This whole waiting game has me feeling a little too self-aware and critical. So, even when I do find the energy to write, I end up second guessing everything I'm putting down on the page. One thing that has helped me is to do Julia Cameron's "morning pages" first thing, before checking email, portals, etc. I've loved this practice for years -- and it usually helps me get out of my own way, and also helps generates ideas for future projects. I also enrolled in a 10-week writing workshop that just happened to fall over this period of waiting to hear back from schools.  While that timing is pure coincidence, it has helped me remember why I love this. 

So smart... I'm thinking of a workshop for exactly that reason! I usually do morning pages, but I'm having a hard time even getting through those. I've been writing and reading a lot of poetry instead of fiction, which I'm finding helpful. I've also been assigning myself "bad" writing days, as in: "Today my goal is to write badly." Sounds weird, but does help me get out of my head sometimes. Best of luck with your process! Keep at it!

[tippybug]

3 hours ago, Ydrl said:

AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

I GOT INTO SJCNY!!!!!!!

I’M GOING TO COLLEGE.

Brb I’m gonna go move my car and maybe cry happy tears a little bit.

YAAAAAYYYYY OMFG YAY!! You have no idea how much I've been rooting for you since I got bored a couple weeks ago and read most of the thread from last year as well ahahah I'm so happy for you! ❤️ 

Edited February 19, 2021 by tippybug
i PROMISE i'm not a stalker though

[eternalwhitenights]

3 hours ago, Ydrl said:

AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

I GOT INTO SJCNY!!!!!!!

I’M GOING TO COLLEGE.

Brb I’m gonna go move my car and maybe cry happy tears a little bit.

 

1 hour ago, spacedumpster said:

Hoorayyyyyy I'm on a wait list!!! (University of South Florida)

Glad to know I have not been immediately rejected from everywhere, but I'm still going to resent them just a little bit for not considering me a first choice. ?

 

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.

Edited February 19, 2021 by eternalwhitenights

[Starbuck420]

deleted

Edited February 19, 2021 by Starbuck420

[pattycat]

4 hours ago, Ydrl said:

AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

I GOT INTO SJCNY!!!!!!!

I’M GOING TO COLLEGE.

Brb I’m gonna go move my car and maybe cry happy tears a little bit.

OMG CONGRATS!!!! That's so amazing!!!!!!!! I'm tearing up now. So happy for you!

[CanadianKate]

5 hours ago, Ydrl said:

I suppose the vast majority of us are so bored/anxious that we keep focusing on admissions and numbers.

I’ll pose a question to distract us: How many of y’all are actively writing like nothing’s happening?

My answer is: I’m not writing like I usually do. It happened last year too. After all my decisions are in, then I’ll go into a writing frenzy with all the ideas I’m collecting currently. I’m considering fleshing out a short story idea I’ve kept for a year.

Actively writing! Continuing to work on my novel, and playing with some short stories -- would love to focus on literary magazine submissions over the months to come! Onward and upward, right?