It was the very moment that I finished praying, my finger nervously trembling across the trackpad as I clicked “Submit Application”.

For months I waited, continuously wishing my essays hopefully were persuasive to the admissions officers to demonstrate what kind of person I was.. Minutes passed, then days, then weeks, then months, and finally then, the day of results finally arrived at my footsteps.

Since the YYGS site itself said that the decisions would be announced on March 5th, I was waiting for my email to come on Friday afternoon, but it came later, on Saturday morning. Now, keep in mind, that I was pretty occupied since Friday night because I was preparing for a competition on Saturday, so even when I saw the mail notification pop up, I could not click on it, for I was very busy with other tasks.

But after the competition finished, around lunch time (~1:00PM), I finally sat down for break, and was chilling with my mother on the sofa when I realized I still had my YYGS application portal unopened. I walked back to my desk, got my computer and signed into my account, which I failed to log into for a couple of tries because I had forgotten my extremely difficult password. After abruptly. creating n entirely new password, I finally logged into the YYGS site.

I was tightly grasping to my mother’s hand as I clicked on the button, two eyes tightly shut as I whisper to myself that life would still be okay even with a “deferred” on my application.

I opened the application status and I remember screaming and hugging my mother (, and tons of crying, of course). I had gotten accepted into a Yale summer program!! Finally a program that would enhance my interests in Biochemistry and possibly link me to other passionate students, who’ll motivate me and be motivated by me and other peers. Although, I am terribly sad that this year’s YYGS program will be held online, I’m excited for my new journey to come with the online course! Stay tuned for more YYGS content 😉

– Joanna Kim, Mar. 8 2021. 1:52 AM KST