LAL

I can’t wait to kickstart my career. I’ve been coming up with business ideas ever since I was a kid, and I’ve started discussing my concrete proposals with my dad lately, too. I’d like to jump right into the hustle of working life after graduation. Luckily, I’m a bubbly and energetic person who’s always excited about something; I like to light up people’s day with my enthusiasm. I care about the people I love deeply, but recently I’ve been trying to focus on my own wellbeing, too, for example by documenting my happy moments in the form of photos taken of me mid-jump – of me jumping for joy, literally. Was jumping on a landing plane allowed or even possible, I would probably do the same whenever I arrive to Paris. Nevertheless, my heart rate picks up and I feel butterflies in my stomach flapping around every time. I have family living in Paris and we’ve been travelling there regularly for as long as I remember, and I always felt like I belong there. French culture reminds me of my own, and I feel at home there just like in Istanbul. Cities that never sleep truly suit my character, all bustling and hectic. I’m an impulsive person, but I wouldn’t have it any other way, even if my disposition sometimes got me in trouble in middle school. I believe the person I am now has also been shaped by my mistakes, not only my successes. I decided not to regret my decisions but to learn from my slip-ups and move forward even if I sometimes struggle with my conscience and second-guess myself. Admitting that I have my moments of insecurity like everyone else is challenging, but I try to be proud of them and be confident even if I don’t feel like it – that’s my thing. My brother inspires me a lot, too – he graduated last year from IS, and I ended up enrolling in the same programme because of him, but his interest in politics had infected me long before that, leading to me becoming the president of the MUN club in high school. Nowadays I’m passionate about Turkish politics, and I’m eager to discuss my hopes and opinions with my compatriots. Whatever happens, I’ll continue to enjoy the simple things in life, like dog-sitting or my Dyson airwrap ;)

(Lal Roso, 2nd year, Turkey)