Sunday, June 21st.

Sunday, June 21st.

Day 5! We started day five by taking our Who's Who test in the morning. Honestly, this was probably one of the most practical tests I've ever taken. It was funny because throughout the week we would randomly see people from our study guide walking around the festival, and it almost felt like we knew them personally—even though we'd really just spent so much time memorizing their names, faces, and job titles.

After our test, we had a class meeting to go over everything for the week and answer any last-minute questions before the festival officially began. Then we made our way down to the Palais for check-in to pick up our Cannes Lions badges. Finally getting our badges made everything feel real!

After picking up our badges, we had the opportunity to meet with Dale Bornstein, CEO of M Booth and CEO of Booth Group. She shared so many valuable insights about both the festival and her career, and it felt like the perfect introduction to everything we were about to experience during the week.

Her biggest piece of advice was that Cannes is "all about the CANNEctions." While the talks and award-winning work are incredible, she reminded us that the relationships we build and the conversations we have throughout the week are what make the experience truly unforgettable. That advice stuck with me all week, and looking back, she was absolutely right. It was so great getting to connect with her and hear firsthand about her career journey and everything she's learned along the way.

We ended the night with a class dinner before the festival week officially began. It was such a beautiful dinner spot and the perfect way to kick off the week together. We got to relax, enjoy an amazing meal, and spend time with everyone before the busy days ahead. Looking back, it was the perfect start to what would become one of the most unforgettable weeks.