Perfect Timing: My Experience Applying to the Fulbright Program
After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Visual Design, I started working as a full-time graphic designer. The truth is, part of me always felt that this is not the job I saw myself doing for the rest of my life, but working as a graphic designer made me realize my true passion, which is filmmaking. I found myself editing videos and sometimes having to shoot them, and I was happiest working on these projects. It was then that I decided to pursue my dream and Fulbright happened to be the gateway to help me realize that dream.
I would say it a was a matter of ‘perfect timing.’ Fulbright in my country was currently accepting applications and it seemed like a great opportunity, especially since Hollywood and the United States is the best place to learn about making movies. I only heard about the opportunity about it one week before the application deadline, but I was lucky to finish it on time. One of the things that made it easier for me to get my recommendations within a week was establishing a good relationship with my mentors and management as a student and at work. I was blessed to have a supportive group of people who were happy to help me realize my goal. Healthy relationships at work and school do pay off eventually so be truthful, do your best at work or in school, and it will help you in the future, trust me!
I’m only three months into the program and there is so much for me to learn, but one thing I can say for sure is that it never felt wrong to apply. I am grateful every day that I applied because had I not tried, I would have lost a great opportunity to live a unique experience and learn from an educational system different from what I am used to. The whole application and selection process took around a year, but it was worth it.
It starts by applying, then you go through interviews, which are followed by preparing your university applications. The Fulbright Program gives you the opportunity to select three different universities. I encourage anyone to take their time researching and choosing which ones are is right for them, because you are very likely to end up in one of the choices you have selected. I was luckily given the opportunity to study at my first choice — University of New Orleans (UNO).
You also have to be prepared to take two tests, GRE and TOEFL; to me, this was probably the most challenging part, as I had to understand how each one of them worked and they were different, but not impossible. It just takes lots of preparation. My advice is what you would expect anyway, practice and be prepared. My biggest challenge was letting go and moving on when I came to a section, I wasn’t the best at, so learn to let go and move on when you need to — it will do you good.
As for writing my application, I watched some videos and read articles, which helped me greatly, but I believe the best advice I received was “write your heart out.” Don’t be afraid of being yourself and expressing your goals, dreams, and desires on paper. You might be nervous, but if you answer the questions, and clearly show your personality, it will pay off. This is especially important because you will be asked about it in the interview and you have to be the same person on paper as in person. My advice is, don’t shy away from expressing yourself on paper.
If I were to say what made me most nervous, it would be that I did not trust my English language skills enough. I always felt that there are people who would have better English skills, and I am very casual in writing. But guess what? It was never an obstacle. You don’t need to be a genius who knows everything there is in English- as long as you are confident with your skills and willing to improve, you will succeed! Don’t let fear of not being fluent stop you from applying. I am learning new words and expressions every day and this has been a great way to build my vocabulary. Learning a language comes with practice and there is no better way to practice than being surrounded by people who speak it. Trust me, it works, and I feel more confident now.
My advice would be to apply if that is your goal. This experience will change you for the best. I didn’t want to look back on my life in five or ten years, wishing I applied but didn’t, as I believe in living with no regrets. Remember that you will always find people to help you along the way.
Narjes is a Fulbrighter from Bahrain. She is working towards her MFA in Film Production at the University of New Orleans.
