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| Damian (center) with two new friends at YYAS 2018 in Rwanda. |
My application to the YYAS program was a typical mock application of how applying to university will actually feel like. I was required to write up multiple essays where I had to SHOW, not TELL, why I thought I deserved this opportunity amongst over 2,000 applicants from all over Africa. I was a bit doubtful about my chances of getting in but after putting together all the required documents, I submitted my application and was successful!
High school students go through a tough time deciding what step to take after their last year, such as knowing how to conduct their university research, if a gap year would be a wiser path to take to kind of discover their interests, and what to study in university. I applied to YYAS because I wanted these questions answered. I’d been to a lot of career guidance sessions and university expositions but I seemed to always come from them more confused about my future.
During the YYAS program I was given the privilege to interact with high school students from over thirty-seven countries across Africa. From fun games to educational discussions, I was always presented with an opportunity to learn something new. I love cultural exchanges and meeting new people so I made it a goal to engage in a conversation with at least two new people every day. We shared four different meals of the day at the school cafeteria of Gashora Girls Academy of Science and Technology in Gashora Village, Rwanda. There is nothing more fulfilling than sitting at a table with more than seven nationalities and still being able to relate on so many levels. I didn’t even have to explain my jokes! This made me realize that with all boarders and barriers down, we are one, which warmed my heart.
Over the course of eight days we took a diagnostic SAT practice test, attended lectures by highly qualified faculty of Yale University, received in depth overviews of university guidance and financial aid applications, and had our own exclusive university fair, to mention a few things. Our day-to-day schedule was comfortably strict, again, preparing us for university life. The informative lectures broadened my mind about so many things in Africa. Some of them titled, “The Future of Medical Imaging in Africa,” and “Desert Futures: Re-imagining the Sahara,” opened my eyes to the potential the African continent possesses. I now see more than I used to.
Being surrounded by the brightest and most self-driven African high school students can only catalyze your personal growth as an individual. Not only was I challenged to always think outside the box but I was also presented with an environment to confidently express myself and my views. Before YYAS, it took a lot for me to stand up in front of a classroom of people but I saw myself stand up in front of over 100 students without hesitation. My name was even raised by multiple instructors as the perfect candidate to be the Master of Ceremony at the YYAS 2018 Talent show on the second last night of the program. I left YYAS feeling more certain about my future and what I’d like to do. I’ve gained skills on how to go about my university research and key factors to look out for. I know what admissions officers look for in personal statements, and standardized tests like the SAT no longer intimidate me.
If there is anything in this world that has made the biggest impact on my life, the Yale Young African Scholars Program is it. “A lot of opportunities in life are missed by many people because they are dressed in overalls and look like work,” Thomas A. Edison once said. Never limit yourself to the fences of your comfort zone. I almost made the mistake of missing out on a once in a lifetime opportunity because I thought I lacked enough knowledge about current affairs and achievements to make me stand out from the crowd, but the YYAS Team saw something in me. Whatever opportunity is thrown at you, I say DIVE IN! You have nothing to lose.
