Yale Young Global Scholars brings together students worldwide, each with incredible potential and a passion for learning. What happens in those two weeks? Heated debates over research? Deep philosophical discussions? Or problem-solving for global challenges? All true. Yet my most unforgettable memory, without hesitation, is the group dance.

When I first met my IST II Family Group 1 friends, the air was strangely heavy. We all seemed to have made a silent promise not to speak or move. To break the ice, our Family Time leader Jigisha played a video of a group dance from the previous session’s Talent Show. As soon as it ended, my friends said, “Let’s do it too!” But honestly, I thought they were half-joking.
 

However, everything changed when Asher, the Breakout Session leader and the greatest dancer, agreed to teach us the choreography. The catch? We had barely a day and a half before the audition and we didn’t know how to dance.

On Saturday afternoon, we stumbled through steps and missed beats. But with every laugh, every playful tease, our movements began to sync. Then I realized that my friends weren’t just ordinary people—they had been hiding the energy of born performers all along.

We eventually passed the audition and were placed as the closing act for the Pierson College Talent Show. Watching incredible teams before us heightened nerves, but as we stepped on stage, all the tensions vanished. I felt unstoppable! ….until I entered my solo two beats early. (Thankfully no one noticed… I guess?) Yes, there were little mistakes, but the cheers and energy from the audience carried us higher. And as we ended the dance, thunderous applause and cheers filled the hall.

What we had just danced wasn’t just a performance; it was the process of closing the gaps between us and stitching our hearts together. Just days earlier, we had been strangers, but now, we were a team forged through laughter, mistakes, and shared effort.

After the show, we couldn’t contain ourselves. When the audience had left, we climbed back on stage for one more round of dancing. And on the walk back to our dorms, we laughed for no reason and hopped around as if we were back to five-year-olds kids.

I cannot explain what we felt and why we acted like that at that moment. It was just like magic from a fairy tale—except this time, we were the characters writing the story ourselves. Maybe this was the real “Tale of Yale,” where the Magic of YYGS turned strangers into a family and fleeting days into memories that will last a lifetime.

The thrill I felt on that stage will stay with me forever. YYGS showed me that somewhere in the world, there are people who share my passion and potential, and when we come together, we can create something far beyond what we imagined. Like that night on stage, I want to keep creating moments where we shine together.

Sunghyun, South Korea, YYGS 2025