As interviews for modern languages are approaching, I thought it would be the perfect time to share some tips to help calm the nerves:
- Be ready to analyse a text: tutors will most likely give you a poem or a prose piece to read and digest before entering your interview. I wasn't given the name or title of my texts (which didn't help with my nerves) but usually they tend to give you something you have never read before so don't panic! You are supposed to not have seen it before!
- Keep calm: read the passage carefully and make a few notes in order to be ready to discuss them in the interview.
- Make mistakes: it's ok to make mistakes, be honest about what you think the passage expresses and share your own interpretation. Your opinion matters.
- Get creative: think outside the box. Try looking at the piece or poem from a different and original perspective. Push literary boundaries and don't be afraid to express your point of view.
- Ask for guidance if needed : if you struggle to understand questions in the target language or if you find the text difficult to translate, ask for help.
Good luck to everyone going through interviews! Remember to be yourself and keep in mind that getting an invitation to an interview is already a massive step!