What would Simon Cowell say?

First of all, sorry I haven't written in a while.. for a long time I felt I didn't have much to write about, but now I have a very good reason - I made it through to the interview at Oslo Academy of Art. I'm one of 62 out of 405, which I can't grasp no matter how many times I say it or write it. As much as I'm flattered, grateful, happy and excited about it I'm also getting increasingly nervous.

Ok. I'm absolutely terrified.

I'm supposed to meet in the auditorium with the other lucky candidates for a quick briefing, then I'll get assigned to a room where I'll be working on 1 or 2 given assignments. At some point during the week there is the dreaded interview, which supposedly lasts 20 minutes.

I've never been through this before, it's my 4th year applying and I've never got this far. I feel like in a way I'm given false hope, cause I can't bring myself to hope that I'll be one of the 25 or so left after the elimination process. More than anything I'm scared (and rightly so) that my nerves will get the better of me and I'll mess it up, and if I don't get accepted it will be 100% my own fault.

So now I'm trying to prepare myself. I don't really know what to expect. I'm supposed to study up on artists, see exhibitions, prepare questions, google the members of the jury and what have you. Only I'm not supposed to come across as someone who's spent the last month studying up on artists and seeing exhibitions and basically being a walking art encyclopedia. Keeping that balance seems difficult. Should I seem confident or not??

If I were to think about the dreaded interview all the time I'd be going crazy. But like in all things with me I brace myself by preparing for the worst... I've already spent several hours writing down every thinkable question the jury could ask me, followed by my answers. While imagining Simon Cowell sitting in front of me.

I've heard all kinds of rumours about what the interview is like, about how tricky the questions are - even rumours that jury members in the past have had a sharp tongue like Simon. Which is certainly an interesting thought. What if I were to explain my love for a certain artist or a certain work and I'm met by comments like "that was indulgent nonsense" or "I don't like what you're wearing"?

Wish me luck. I'll need it.