One of my favorite aspects of YYGS is the range of various seminars and lectures it provides. My favorite seminar was Unruly Bodies: The Body is Not an Apology, which was about body positivity and accepting our bodies the way they are — flawed. The instructor created an incredibly safe space to share our feelings if we wanted to and felt comfortable enough.
I liked the surprise factor of each seminar since, even though we knew the title, we could explore more than I expected. I especially recall the seminar about “growing human body parts” and how that introduced me to stem cells that now I’m studying on my own.
Through YYGS, my skills in public speaking, my ability to understand scientific concepts in neuroscience, and my critical thinking improved. Personally, Special Meal was the best component of the program. This informal talk about resistance to capitalism through arts was not my first choice. At first, I thought it would be boring, but I was wrong. We had very informative and interesting exchanges throughout that component. In the end, I enjoyed the Special Meal component the most.
Overall, YYGS was a formative experience for me because it demonstrated that international relations is where I belong. I am eternally grateful for my YYGS experience and associates. I will never forget this life-changing experience.
Luckily, I was accepted to the Yale Young Global Scholars program, and I was excited to be part of the core group selected to attend the Solving Global Challenges section that focused on seeking innovative solutions to current global issues identified by the United Nations. The group was subdivided into small groups based on themes, and I was part of the “climate justice” group that was tasked to propose one solution that could mitigate the effects of global warming.
Being exposed to world-renowned professors and historians, such as Naomi Lamoreaux, further enhanced my interest in the humanities, specifically in public policy. Over the course of the program, I developed school policies for prospective pandemics with two peers, using the mistakes made in the past and the lessons acquired through COVID-19. I presented the regulations to my county’s school board as a proposal after realizing the need for policies.
Before going into the summer camp, I didn’t know about Law and wasn’t sure if I wanted to pursue it. Joining this summer camp allowed me to explore this field in detail and I truly understood what my work life might look like if I pursue a career in law. The informative and exciting seminars played a huge role in this–my favorite was a session about The Death Penalty and whether it is constitutional.
My favorite lecture was Woodstock and 1970s American Folk Music. As a violinist I am passionate about music, and I learned how music adapts to its time and reflects the changes in society. I can say that YYGS has made me meditate and feel more secure about my interests and my possibilities.
With my Family Time, I formed bonds with people that I still have connections with despite the 2022 session being over. The people I have met over the course of the two weeks and the aspects that make YYGS unique have influenced me immensely and continues to motivate me in my academic and personal life to be the best version of myself.
One of the things that YYGS told me is EXPLORE. There is always something new to learn and to explore. YYGS showed that achieving is the best choice for me. YYGS gave me a great opportunity to meet with such amazing people. They are all so motivated, ambitious, interesting, and sociable. It was nice to meet with them.
