In the summer of 2025, I spent three weeks at the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth program, held on the Loyola Marymount University campus in Los Angeles. It was my first real experience living and studying on a college campus.
The course I took was Model United Nations and Advanced Geography. The class blended international relations with geographic analysis, showing how geography—physical, economic, cultural, and political—shapes policymaking at the United Nations. We learned the structures and processes of the U.N., studied real-world challenges like climate change and security issues, and practiced parliamentary procedure through Model U.N. simulations.
I wasn’t very familiar with the U.N. beforehand, so I loved learning about its history and how resolutions get negotiated. The simulations were both strategic and collaborative—you had to figure out how to get countries with very different priorities to agree. My geographic knowledge really helped me dive into my assigned roles as the ambassador for Liberia and Japan, since I already understood their backgrounds and challenges.
Beyond the classroom, dorm life was just as memorable. Evenings and weekends were full of hanging out with classmates, and somehow my room became the meeting spot for card games and late-night conversations.
Overall, the program was an amazing experience. I met great people, many of whom I’m still in touch with, and I got a glimpse of what living on a college campus could feel like.