About two weeks later, I got a call. It turns out, regardless of my terrible math skills and how stupidly nervous I was, I’d gotten through to the second round! Now I just needed to have three more final interviews that [spoiler alert!] I eventually passed.

I can’t begin to tell you how I felt when I got that call: I told my therapist: “It was like a reverse panic attack, because this time I was overwhelmed, but with excitement”. I collapsed on the floor, crying like I’d won an Oscar. Everyone at home thought I was having a stroke. But for the first time in a long time, I was actually really happy.

I did have to work very hard for the final interviews, and I went through the whole process of thinking I was terrible at it all over again. But this second time, deep down, I somehow knew things would be fine. Even if I didn’t get the job, I was so proud of myself for surviving what had been the three most stressful months of my life.

So yes: I got the job of my dreams. And while I still haven’t properly celebrated as much as I thought I would before getting it, and instead thinking “Okay… what now? What bigger challenge should I embark on?” (which I guess is something that we’ll discuss some other time), I wanted to take some time to share some tips and tricks with everyone. So here it is, my own guide: How to get the job of your dreams – and also, cry a lot.

Yes: Cry a lot. Like, a lot, a lot: It turns out my sister has not one, but two videos of me desperately crying in slow motion. It was a time in my life when everything would make me spiral and think about the fear of failing, so I would instantly burst into tears. But since I hate crying in public (not even in front of my best friend), I’d just run to the nearest bathroom to let it all out.

Write a letter to yourself so you can read it when it’s all over: One day in class, I was very bored and stressed, so I took some time to write myself a letter in the back of my notebook. I lied a bit, saying I was sure everything was going to be fine and all of the efforts would have a happy ending. At least, for a few minutes, staying in touch with my future self made me confident that things would actually turn out okay.

Watch lots of documentaries and movies: It’s very hard for me to believe in those Instagram mantras of “Everything will be fine!” But I remembered that time when I was nine years old and my newly divorced aunt introduced me to the movie “The Secret”. Basically, the idea behind The Secret is that if you want something badly enough, and envisage it in your life on a daily basis, you’ll get it.

So yes, I became this strange person who would take one hour every day to imagine herself living her dream: “Here I am, doing a spreadsheet that my boss wants me to present tomorrow, getting a call from a coworker, taking the metro to my office!” I have to admit that I even took it to the next level and added: “I’m so happy that after work I’m going to have dinner with my new, amazingly handsome boyfriend!” Well… at least I’ve got the job.

Keep the secret, don’t tell anyone! Because if you do people will start asking, and you’ll be amazingly scared that at some point you’ll have to tell them: “I didn’t make it”.

Be the nicest person you’ve ever been because you want good karma: If you knew me during those three months, you could tell that I was the nicest I’ve ever been. I said yes to every favor, helped every classmate study, and lent things to everyone who asked for them. I have to admit that I did it because was scared of getting bad karma (and maybe doing it just for the sake of getting good karma, turned it into a selfish, and therefore, ‘bad’ action?). But I really enjoyed being a very nice person, so that’s something that will stay. Just don’t ask me to help you study on a Saturday morning, because that’s not happening.

And you also end up learning a lot about yourself, about who you are and what you want in life: Because I wanted to be ready for every type of question they could ask, I started asking myself those questions. I also meditated a lot and tried to stay in tune with my own thoughts, to be more myself and less the person that I thought I had to be. It’s exhausting to be constantly mindful of everything – but it has amazing results.

EAT A LOT: You eat almost as much as you cry. Growing up, my family taught me to see food as comfort – a reward when you’re happy, and as support when you’re sad. Although it might not be the healthiest habit, eating a slice of cheesecake after a bad day is still the best thing I can do… and I don’t regret it.

Talk about how scared you are to every new guy you meet on dating apps or first dates: So, you know that when people first meet, one of the questions asked is: “So, where do you work?” Oh boy, that question would get me instantly nervous. The answer that followed depended on the type of day that I was having: If it was a good day, I’d say “I’m currently changing jobs”, and proceed to swallow the sadness. On a bad one, I’d tell the whole story until the guy was either interested or didn’t want to talk to me anymore. Maybe I scared Prince Charming away with my stress, but at least I was being honest.

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF: Okay, this is a cliché. I know that. But I’ve found out that the biggest reason why I suffer so much in most situations is because I don’t believe in myself. I don’t believe I’m good, smart, beautiful or strong (or whatever it is) enough to make it.

The first step in ANYTHING is to believe you can do it, knowing you’re capable. As long as you put in as much effort as you can, somehow, you’re going to get it. This is hard, I know, and sometimes life brings you way down that it gets even harder. But think about it this way: It’s the only thing you can do. It doesn’t cost any money or energy. It’s not hard; it’s simply a thought. At first, it won’t feel natural. But after a while, you’ll think to yourself: “Hell yes, I’ve got this”.