I go back and forth on whether appetizer samplers are worthwhile at restaurants. On the one hand, it’s great having multiple apps to choose from to get a sense of what you like best. I like having a variety of foods, so a sampler is great for that.
But on the other hand, maybe there’s a really good item on the menu that’s not on the app sampler, so why bother trying the sampler’s offerings? Moreover, getting a lot for the appetizer portion of the meal may sully the main course and dessert, since you’ll already be somewhat full.
I have a similar internal debate regarding a different type of app: applications. As of the publication of this article, I will have submitted an application to the Graduate Research Fellowship Program, a government-funded scholarship to support young researchers in their Ph.D. studies.
I started out not realizing how much work this application would entail. I’ve had to write two detailed statements and go through multiple rounds of feedback and edits, all on top of my schoolwork and student org involvements. At times I’ve gotten discouraged, knowing that thousands of people, all of whom with surely immense talents, are applying to the same program.
To make it better, I still have to apply to the Ph.D. programs themselves in the next month. This is my busiest time of the semester, and as a result, I’ve had to lower the number of schools I’m applying to. I hope I’ll still have adequate time to submit a quality app, but those deadlines seem to be approaching faster than ever.
It feels like the app will determine my whole meal, which is not the best feeling to have. So, I have to remind myself of a few important facts. The first is that with these applications comes a lot of opportunity. There’s definitely a chance that I’ll get a bunch of no’s. But there’s also the chance that someone goes to the restaurant where they’re serving my app in the sample, and that person says “this is one I’d want to have more of.” To me, that is incredibly exciting, and it motivates me to be my true self and give all that I’ve got in crafting the application.
The second fact is that I’ve already received so much support in the application process. My professors, advisors, mentors, classmates, research project members, friends, and family have all given me so much to write about in these apps, and they are more than willing to help revise as I attempt to present my best self. I may be the cook making the app, but they have provided the best ingredients to impress even the strongest critics.
And as a final fact, even if these apps are a ton of work, the possibility of taking the rest of the meal as leftovers is built in. I likely will not have all the results for several months, but I can feel accomplished with what I brought to the table during the appetizer course, and focus on other things while I await the reviews. This is nerve-racking in its own way, but the first two facts can give me solace in this stage too. And once all the applications are in, I can treat myself to a well-deserved app sampler as a reward.
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