IPSE 2013
It's been a week since all 120 of us YES semi-finalists traveled out to D.C. for the IPSE and finally put voices and bodies to the Facebook profiles we'd been talking to since February. I'm still sort of in that weird stage where either the IPSE feels like a dream and the rest of my life feels like reality, or my life feels like a dream and IPSE was reality. It feels like just yesterday but also like a year ago...
For those of you that don't know, the IPSE or In-Person Selection Event was essentially a three day interview event for the YES Abroad program, which I've talked about in previous blog posts. Each semi-finalist had one individual interview, two group evaluations, and if you take French; a French interview. This were spread out across the weekend so we ended up having a lot of free time to hang out with our newfound friends.
Because I live so close to DC, I was one of the first to arrive and was alarmed when I found out that I had the very first interview slot possible. I wolfed down my dinner, ran to my room to change and then went to my interview. Waiting outside of the room was nerve wracking, but once I was inside the room everything went smoothly. Personally, I think I did really well, but then again, that's what everyone else said too. The group evaluations were great! Our group worked very well together and solved the situations relatively fast. The French interview though, was another story... I have plenty of excuses but basically it didn't go too well.
For me, the most important thing about the weekend were the amazing friendships I made. Even if I don't get into the programs, I know I made friendships that will last a lifetime. All around me, there were like-minded students who had. a heart for the rest of the world. When Allen said "Raise your hand if you've made a new friend" and "Raise your hand if you've met someone you want to go abroad with next year," my hand shot up because I had. I only saw these people for 3 days, but I wouldn't hesitate to call them close friends.
For those of you that don't know, the IPSE or In-Person Selection Event was essentially a three day interview event for the YES Abroad program, which I've talked about in previous blog posts. Each semi-finalist had one individual interview, two group evaluations, and if you take French; a French interview. This were spread out across the weekend so we ended up having a lot of free time to hang out with our newfound friends.
Because I live so close to DC, I was one of the first to arrive and was alarmed when I found out that I had the very first interview slot possible. I wolfed down my dinner, ran to my room to change and then went to my interview. Waiting outside of the room was nerve wracking, but once I was inside the room everything went smoothly. Personally, I think I did really well, but then again, that's what everyone else said too. The group evaluations were great! Our group worked very well together and solved the situations relatively fast. The French interview though, was another story... I have plenty of excuses but basically it didn't go too well.
For me, the most important thing about the weekend were the amazing friendships I made. Even if I don't get into the programs, I know I made friendships that will last a lifetime. All around me, there were like-minded students who had. a heart for the rest of the world. When Allen said "Raise your hand if you've made a new friend" and "Raise your hand if you've met someone you want to go abroad with next year," my hand shot up because I had. I only saw these people for 3 days, but I wouldn't hesitate to call them close friends.
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