The Application Process

After realizing that this was something that I was most definitely going to do, I became extremely excited. I went to the Office of Global Education at CSU Sacramento to talk to some abroad advisors and get some more information about the program.

I figured this kind of thing was available to those who were willing to pay the fees. And that anyone brave enough to take this type of opportunity would be able to do it. So you can imagine by reaction when I found out otherwise.

This program is extremely competitive. Since this program is offered specifically from Sac State, they are choosing people to represent the school and there is an extensive application process. This consists of paperwork galore, including a paper explaining why they should choose you over everyone else, and the ever-so-intimidating interview that would either make you or break you.

The excitement of this opportunity immediately changed to nervousness. This was something that I wanted so badly - what if I didn't get accepted, then what?! The variety of emotions I was feeling was overwhelming. But I was determined to make this happen.

Of course I completed the easy stuff first. The pages and pages consisting of the basic information about me. School, grades, job, money, history, demographics, etc. I was making progress and it felt good! Then it came to the hard part. The paper. Ughhhh.

It seemed simple enough. Why you want to study abroad, what you plan to get out of it, why Ireland, and why you? But this being something that I wanted more than anything, it was never good enough. Luckily I had some help along the way...

In one of my standard Coms classes, there was a girl that sat directly to the right of me that I had began talking to. She was really nice and easy to talk to. We talked for a couple weeks or so and I eventually brought up in conversation that I was in the process of applying to study abroad. Her excitement and interest in this was very obvious. "Really?! I just got back from studying abroad, where are you applying to?" I responded with enthusiasm, "Dublin City University!"

And yet another symbol that it is meant to be; Kate just got back from studying abroad at Dublin City University! She was only there for one semester, but loved it so much that she is moving there for good this fall. Small, crazy world, eh?! AND JUST MY LUCK!

This girl helped me out tremendously. Not only did she give me the inside scoop on life in Dublin and what they were looking for in the application, but she actually edited and gave many suggestions on my paper, which could have been the deciding factor in their decision to accept me for this amazing opportunity. (So thank you Kate!)

Once I turned in the application, I was relieved. Having it in front of me and never being satisfied was absolute torture. It was nice to get it out of my hands so I could do no more. It was a few days after the deadline that I received an e-mail, INTERVIEWS!!

As excited as I was that I was one step closer to Ireland, I was freaking out inside. The idea of me blowing the interview and never being able to forgive myself was stressful enough. Not to mention that the week of the interview was also the week of midterms. Horrible, time consuming, difficult midterms. Along with a presentation and debate; both which were a large portion of my grade. Oh, and did I mention... my lap top broke the night before the interview! Everything had worked out so perfectly before, why was this happening?

I actually broke down the night before the interview. The first time I had cried hard in an entire year. And I cried hard, really hard. I think that it hit me; this is it - you either go or you don't. I had so much going on, I didn't feel like I had enough time to "prepare" for the interview. But I later realized, how much can you really "prepare" for an interview? Well being the crazy obsessed Ireland girl that I was at the time, I researched. You ask me the population of Ireland, location, history, religion, government, every major city, number of DCU students, things to do in Ireland, places to go, diseases, problems, sports, people, weather, current events, etc... I was convinced that if the interviewers were to ask me one of the millions of questions regarding Ireland, and I didn't know the answer, I was DONE.

I was only nervous because I was determined to make this happened. And I was scared that my dream might not come true.

The interview went well. There was a committee of three people. Two Professors from CSUS that have been to Ireland and Monica Freeman - the lady who has all the power. From the weeks I had been stressing, the interview lasted no more than ten minutes. They were rushed for time, having to complete all the interviews for all countries in just one day.

I left the interview feeling both nauseous and relieved. I was confident leaving the interview, but after having time to think over every little thing that I had said, I doubted myself. The fact that they did not tell me how or when they would let me know the results, began to really get to me. However, I was relieved that it was no longer in my hands and there was no more pressure.

And I waited.