Today is Wednesday, and I leave on Friday for my interview in Atlanta on Saturday (it’s roughly a 6 to 8 hour drive there for me). I’m excited and anxious and nervous and ready for it to be over with so I can just worry about getting selected. I’m the second or third person being interviewed, and my time is at 1:30. I’m afraid I’ll get too nervous and bomb the whole thing, but I’m putting this all in God’s hands.
On the other hand, I have good news! CIEE has moved up the date that they will announce finalists from March 29th to March 13! YAY! 11 days after my interview, I hope I can make it without going crazy. I really hope that they don’t delay the announcement like they did for semi-finalist. Every day counts, really.
Thirdly, I’ve been trying REALLY hard to keep myself busy and focused, but it is extremely hard, especially in school. And I now it will only get worse after my interview. The 13th seems like such a long time from now. The best thing I can do to keep myself focused is to read lots of my favorite books and stalk CBYX blogs and videos (probably not a good thing, but I can’t help myself!)
This was just a short update, but I will post when I’ve had my interview.
Monthly Archives: February 2013
How It Feels To Be A Semi-Finalist
I found out about CBYX a year before I was eligible to apply, so I spent most of that year stalking CBYX blogs and YouTube videos and wondering how it felt to be a semi-finalist. At the time I thought it must have been the greatest feeling in the world, knowing that there’s a high chance that you’re going to Germany. In fact, I was very misinformed for a while, thinking that if you’re a semi-finalist, you’re basically in the program and that the whole point of the interview was just to make sure you’re not a bimbo.
Well that is NOT the case. At least not with my large region.
Interviews are given to (roughly) 100 people. They only choose 50 for the scholarship. That can be either a good or bad thing depending on how you look at it, being that you have a 50% chance of receiving the scholarship.
What feels good about being a semi-finalist is that (with CIEE) only 100 out of 600 applicants are chosen as a semi-finalist, and you are one of that 100. It feels like you’ve really accomplished something and that all that hard work you’ve put into your written application really has paid off. But the best feeling about being a semi-finalist is that you have a 1 in 2 chance of getting the scholarship. At times I see this as a bad thing, thinking that they are going to be cutting half of the people. But at other times I think: all I really have to do is nail this interview and I’m in. Most of the time I just fall somewhere in between.
The worst part of being a semi-finalist is all of the waiting. I thought that once I was a semi-finalist, all of the anxiety would stop for the most part. Wrong. It’s only gotten worse. Being a semi-finalist gives you SOME peace at mind, but you’re mostly just worried about getting the scholarship. The worst part of this whole process definitely has to be all the waiting.
I think it’s crazy how I have the title of being a semi-finalist, because a year ago I thought it was uber prestigious to have made it this far. And it really is, I don’t even think I realize how lucky I am to have made it this far. I feel so honored to just even be having an interview.
Overall it feels bittersweet to be a semi-finalist. I feel so happy and so hopeful at times that I’m so close to getting the scholarship, but I also feel doubtful the other half of the time. And there is ALWAYS anxiety, and I doubt it will go away until I’m notified as to whether I have received the scholarship or not. Although I’m proud to have the title of being a semi-finalist, I can easily say that I’m ready to drop this title and upgrade to the one of being a finalist.
My interview is in a week…
In exactly one week from now, I will be headed to Atlanta, GA to my interview with CBYX. A good long 8 hour drive there! (Gives me time to think about how I will answer my questions, on the lighter side).
I’m not completely excited to be going. Obviously I am beyond joyed to have made it this far and be granted an interview, but I am more nervous than anything. What if I mess up in my questions? What if I give a bogus answer? What if I don’t say all that I need to say? What if I don’t know what to say?
Now, I know I shouldn’t be thinking like this. Most people tell me that it’s really just a get-to-know-you and to just be myself- but what if being myself isn’t enough? I want this scholarship SO bad, I’m afraid it might even be detrimental to my interview because I will be so nervous. And I’m the one where words have a hard time coming to me when my nerves are shaking.
What I’m really looking forward to is getting the interview over with, because then it’s just a matter of waiting. Waiting isn’t exactly easy when it comes to CBYX, but it’s better than worrying about nailing an interview.
As far as interview preparation has gone, I haven’t really done much. I’ve talked to previous alumni so I have an idea of what they will ask and what they expect, but I don’t have any amazing responses memorized and rehearsed to give them, which may in return be a good thing. I have a good general idea of what my responses will be and what I want to say, but the tough part is getting out what I want. Giving them the impression that I want to give them. You really can’t prepare for an interview like this.
All that I, and anyone in the same boat, can do now is make sure you know what you want to say, and don’t let your nerves get the best of you (although it’s very hard). I can’t wait till next Saturday and I hope this week, and the month of March, speeds by.
Another round of waiting…
So, I’m a semi finalist. Yay! This is great news and gives me a lot of peace at mind, but another round of waiting has begun. I feel like this is a never ending cycle; once you find out something good, you wait to find out another good thing.
My interview is on March 2nd in Atlanta. 20 days from now. I’ll feel better after my interview, because it can go either two ways: I do really well or I do extremely bad. There is usually no in betweens for me, and knowing if I did really well, or really bad for that matter, will give me a good idea of if I have a high chance of getting the scholarship; which will in return ease my mind a lot. After the interview I have another month of waiting to find out if I am a Finalist (CIEE finds out sometime around March 29th-April 2nd). But, I’m hoping March will speed by, because I’m taking a little vacation on March 11th during spring break, prom is on the 23rd, I’m going to an Elton John concert on the 30th, and my birthday is on the 31st. But February on the other hand will drag by just like January. January and February are the worst months for me. January is long and tedious, and February is just like it but has a different name. *sigh* maybe I need more friends.
I thought becoming a semi finalist would give me more peace at mind. Don’t get me wrong, I am beyond grateful to have this title right now. But for some reason I feel like there are so many semi’s, like 200 or something. I know this (most likely) isn’t the case but I’m letting my doubts get the best of me. I only hope that I do well at the interview and they see me fit for this scholarship, because I do want it really bad.
I guess the best thing I can do for now is not sweat over February or think about it too much. This is really supposed to be a neutral month, because I’m not waiting to find out life-changing results or anything. I’ll try to get my mind off of it a little until my interview rolls around. Hopefully time will speed by until then.
I’m a Semi-Finalist!
After roughly two long months of waiting, I received an email on Tuesday, February 5th. I am a semi finalist!
I was at school in 2nd block, World History, and my friend texted me and told me that the semi’s were being notified today and to check my email. So I secretly whipped out my cell phone, heart racing, and there it was. 1 new email from Juliette Van De Geer with CBYX. It read:
Dear Wendy,
As you know, the Congress-Bundestag Scholarship provides 50 scholarships for students from the Southeast United States. We had an unprecedented number of applications this year, which made the review extremely competitive. We were impressed with your application and after careful review, would like to offer you an interview. We are interested in learning more about you and your desire to live and study in Germany.
Following this announcement, you will receive an invitation to our selection events in cities throughout the Southeast. At that time, we will also provide more details regarding the exact location, dates, and times for the interview and information sessions.
Our locations for this year’s selection events include:
• Atlanta, GA
• Richmond, VA
• Charlotte, NC
• Winter Haven, FL
• Lexington, KY
If you do not wish to continue to the next round of selection, please let us know by Tuesday, February 12th, 2013. Congratulations on your advancement to the next round! We look forward to meeting you in person!
All the best,
CIEE Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Program Selection Committee
I read it and I let out a little squeal and started crying, tears of joy of course. I am beyond thrilled! Later that same day I got another email telling me where my interview will be and the date it will be. I will be at the Atlanta, Georgia interview on March 2nd. Time for some interview preparation!
I feel very proud of myself, but I cannot let my head get big. There’s still another round to go through and many good people will be interviewed. I hope that they see my passion in wanting to go to Germany and see me fit for this scholarship, but I can’t help but give myself a little pat on the back for making it this far.
WendyGoesGerman 