Want to study abroad? Gil do Vigor gives tips on how to ‘not get screwed’ and mentions anxiety attacks

Economist, influencer and former BBB contestant completed his PhD at the University of California (USA) and, this month, completed a ‘summer course’ in Florence (Italy). ‘It takes me 8 to 10 hours to write two paragraphs, but I have to accept that I am a foreigner in the process of developing the language’, he says. “Wow, how it is in force!”, says economist and former BBB contestant Gil do Vigor, about himself. And with good reason: the 33-year-old from Pernambuco was accepted, this Thursday (19), to study criminal economics at the University of Chicago, in the United States. Gil combines his artistic career – presenting sketches on variety shows and dozens of advertising partnerships – with an “international” CV, which is, without a doubt, a reason for rejoicing (it is impossible not to use that word). After completing his undergraduate, master’s and doctorate at the Federal University of Pernambuco, he left “BRA-SILL” and: completed his PhD at the University of California at Davis, in the United States; This month, he also did a summer school at the Centro Studi Luca d’Agliano, in Florence, Italy, with classes in a castle in Tuscany; he will be a researcher in Chicago; and he also plans to be a “visiting student” at Princeton University, in the USA, in 2025. ➡️In an interview with G1, Gil shared the details of his experience as a foreign student – ​​both the times he “got screwed” and the moments of “dogfights” and “tchaqui tchaquis” (don’t worry, the text is only available to those under 18). He also gave tips for overcoming difficulties with the English language and withstanding the pressure of the academic environment. The former BBB is so connected to education issues that he will even take the National High School Exam (Enem) in November, to encourage more young people to take the test. “If someone who had given up on participating changes their mind after seeing my example, it was worth it. I want people to see Enem with the importance it deserves”, he says. 🌍How to deal with another language? Gil do Vigor Reproduction Gil says that it is not necessary to be proficient in English (or another foreign language) to accept the challenge of studying abroad. “I spend an entire day, 8 to 10 hours, to write two paragraphs – and sometimes I still erase everything the next day,” he says. “I used to put a lot of pressure on myself, but I have to accept that I am a foreigner in the process of improving my language skills. And teachers understand this lack of fluency at first. Obviously, students are expected to make an effort, dedicate themselves and, over time, improve. The most important thing is that they make themselves understood.” One moment when Gil says he “got screwed” was when, in March 2023, even though he had mastered all the content of a macroeconomics test, he lost almost all the points by confusing the translation of just one term. “I was going to get a 10. But the wrong word gave the opposite meaning to what I wanted to say. It changed the context,” he said in a video posted on Instagram. He recalled to G1 that the episode made him cry, but says that, over time, he became kinder to himself. “It was a learning process. We are imperfect human beings. How many people, in the process of learning a language, don’t end up using the wrong word that changes their understanding?” 📖In the “survival manual” for foreign students, Gil recommends: Seek support from acquaintances and don’t be ashamed to ask for help -> “I write a page, send it to all my friends and say: ‘Guys, tell me if it’s good or bad’. It’s a process in which we improve. The academic world is made up of these exchanges,” says the economist. Before selection process interviews, practice possible questions -> “I take some basic questions and practice what to answer based on that. If you get nervous at the time, speak as best you can. You can put some Portuguese in there; the important thing is to try. Go for it!”. Trying to automate your English little by little -> “Today, I can already write some paragraphs in English without having to think in Portuguese first. But, in the beginning, it didn’t work. I would write in Portuguese, knowing what I wanted to say, and then I would start writing in English”, he says. He gives an example of tip #3: “It wasn’t an exact translation, but it helped me because then I knew more or less the content of what I had to put. For example: ‘Pernambuco, for years, was the state in the Northeast region with the highest homicide rate among young people’. Then I would write in English and then see if it was okay: ‘One of the biggest issues in Pernambuco, a state from Brazil, …’” 🚧And what about mental health? Is it a mess? What would Gil put on the wall (and still hope that the rejection would be greater than Karol Conká’s on BBB21)? The anxiety caused by the pressure of the academic world. “I had several crises, to the point of ending up in the hospital, thinking I was having a heart attack. I thought I couldn’t do it anymore and said: ‘I’m dying, I’m dying!’. But it was just my mind,” he says. “I know it’s not just my reality. It’s common for this to happen at university. I’m undergoing treatment, accompanied by a psychologist.” In addition to the therapeutic care, another essential element for Gil’s recovery was the “distraction package”: Let’s go to the manual: Try to have at least one moment of leisure and distraction during the day -> “It could be some entertainment, going to the gym, dating, anything that takes you away from it [dos afazeres relacionados aos estudos]. “To get out of crises, I would change my focus: I would watch a series, listen to music, relax. People would ask me how I could do my PhD and still watch BBB. And I say: how would I do my PhD without watching BBB? It was my escape.” Discovering new forms of leisure -> “Today, I have my friends from church. Every Tuesday and Thursday, when I’m in the United States, I play volleyball with them at night. We’ll eat something, talk about general topics, play a sport. It’s been a while since I’ve had a crisis,” he says. 🐶 Focus — and control when it comes to ‘dog fights’ Gilberto Nogueira, known as Gil do Vigor, came in fourth place on BBB Reproduction/TV Globo Gil says it’s important to have fun, but take it easy: you have to maintain discipline, he explains. “I don’t drink during the week, because I’m studying and I’m aware of that. When it’s vacation, then, yes, I do! But, during school time, I avoid it. In Italy, we would go out to talk, have a juice,” he says. And the “dogfights” were also controlled — so that nothing would distract from the focus of the summer school. “There was no chatter, but I did give a little kiss. I can’t say who, but it wasn’t Brazilian!”, he jokes. The economist took advantage of his free time during his stay in Florence to ask questions, make contacts and meet co-authors for possible future research (in the area of ​​criminal economics). “We discussed inequality as a motivator of conflicts. It was really cool!”, he says. And only one participant in the course, who was Brazilian, knew who Gil do Vigor was — but he kept it discreet. When, at the end of the trip, the rest of the class found the former BBB on Instagram, it was a party. They started firing questions: “How do you have so many followers? What do you mean? Look at the celebrities who follow you!!”. “It was a real dogfight, everyone chatting,” jokes Gil. “Or dograted.”



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