It’s Only Scary If You’re Not 100 Percent Sure Why You’re Doing It
The decision to apply to the Fulbright Program came to me after I came back from a cultural exchange program in Detroit, Michigan as a college sophomore. In hindsight, it’s very grounding to know that life will take you anywhere you want to be if you’re open to recognizing serendipity and act on it.
American universities look for people who are passionate in general, and not just in the field you are pursuing. So, to get into a good school, you are expected to be well-rounded! As a Logistics major, I found myself taking a film production class. After excelling in it, I made the decision to pursue it more seriously.
Once I returned to Bahrain, the U.S. Embassy was incredibly supportive and encouraging of my decision. They informed me that if I did well, kept evolving in the field of film, and still wanted to pursue it on a larger scale, then I could apply for the Fulbright Program. And that is exactly what I did. For four years, I focused on gaining film experience and cultivated a network of creative people who pushed me and supported me in my endeavors.
Now the time had come to start the process with the embassy. This is when I received the shocking news that I would have to embark on the scariest part of my Fulbright journey yet: the GRE. In school, since I’d spent all my energy studying and maintaining a good flow of film projects, I had neglected one important fact: I cry when I do math (only on the inside… most times). Luckily, the exam is based on the logical use of math and not just aimless math equations. However, once I started to study, I found the GRE to be a very achievable goal.
As for my recommendation letters, this part transpired in quite an interesting way. I needed to approach people in reputable positions but who also knew me well enough to write an honest and compelling letter about my character. At first, I prioritized people who I felt knew me best, but I soon realized that they hadn’t seen the side of me that I wanted to show the universities and Fulbright. Here is where starting the application process as early as possible served me well! Therefore, I immersed myself in new film projects, projects that pulled me towards people I had worked with in the past and new collaborators who would be able to write from the unique perspective that I was looking for.
In general, the application process is long and requires you to delve deep into your ‘why.’ If you are someone who frequently reflects upon your life, your values, and your reason for doing what you are doing, then the process should be a breeze! All that is required of you is to be compellingly personal and genuine about your life; nobody but you can see life through your eyes. The reason I want people to put their all into their personal essays is that you need to have a strong sense of conviction for what you want to do in the next two to three years of your life. The process of reflection and writing these essays will give you a strong sense of self. It’s only scary if you’re not 100 percent sure why you’re doing it. Whenever any part of the process felt challenging for me, I would think back to my ‘why,’ and it would always give me the strength to push through. What is your ‘why’?
Deena is a Fulbrighter from Bahrain. She is studying Film and Television at Savannah College of Art and Design
You can find more information about the Fulbright Program, Fulbright Foreign Student Program and the Fulbright Program for the Middle East and North Africa on our websites. For more application tips and to learn more about other Fulbrighters, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and visit our blog.
