How Was Your Year at HSE University-St Petersburg?
A year is full of various meanings unique to every person. We were excited to find out what good things happened to HSE University-St Petersburg students in the outgoing year. Students from different countries and educational programmes shared their memories about life at the university in 2022.
Zahir Nikmal, 2nd-year student of the Master’s programme ‘Management and Analytics for Business’
‘I learned how to cheer myself up, find motivation, and work hard’
Now, in my second year of studies, I have spent more time on the HSE University campus: I experienced in-person classes and was able to join clubs and extracurricular activities. I also participated in many events organised by HSE University together with ESN: we visited historical and cultural sights and saw the real beauty of the city. All of these things made me think that it was exciting to meet people from various countries and speak different languages. Yet, English connects us all. I often found myself immersed in conversations, comparing our points of view or cultural beliefs and habits. I feel grateful to have access to enormous sources of information and support for students.
Still, it was hard and challenging because of the language barrier outside the university. Listening to lectures and grasping the concepts might be tough as well. I found it especially hard during the exam period, combined with stress, tiredness, and homesickness. But this is what makes me strong and teaches me a lot. I learned how to cheer myself up, find motivation, and work hard. I believe it all does count and will help me in the future. I learned to spend more time on my own. I think it also revealed which relationships are worth cultivating and who really stands by my side. I realised that we often are stronger than we think. I try to keep in touch with my friends. We organise study sessions together, hang out, cook national dishes, or tell each other to calm down and not stress too much.
My time at HSE University and Russia as a whole has made me realise my passion for learning about other cultures and taught me not just the importance of learning in the classroom, but also of learning from every single person you meet. I look forward to my remaining time at HSE University-St Petersburg, and hope to visit other cities, learn about cultures and historical sites, and create beautiful memories and friendships that I will cherish for the rest of my life.
Amirarsalan Khonarmand, 3rd-year of the Bachelor’s programme ‘International Business and Management Studies’
‘Back to home sweet new home’
This year was special for HSE University’s international students: around the beginning of the year, we heard the news that the borders were finally about to be opened after one and a half years of COVID-19 restrictions. Just like most of the other international students, I packed my bags to come back to HSE University one more time. It was incredibly exciting since I would have the chance to meet my good old friends again and experience in-person classes, which were a dream at that point.
Although the times were tough and there were tons of new rules and paperwork that we had to cover as international students in Russia, HSE University was able to help us out in these situations so we could get back to our normal lives instead of jumping from one office to another.
Currently, I am in the middle of my third year of studies at HSE University. It is a unique experience because you feel as if you are part of a very big family, which only gets bigger over time as you meet new people. From an educational point of view, my friends and I can really see how our mindset is constantly changing: we have started using professional terms to express our thoughts, and that is when we all suddenly realised we are actually ‘getting somewhere’.
As we are slowly reaching the fourth year of studies, I can clearly see how everyone, including myself, has found jobs or internships. This is fascinating, as we will soon not only complete our programme and receive our degree, but also gain the necessary experience.
Oscar Mendoza, 4th-year student of the Bachelor’s programme ‘Political Science and World Politics’
‘I regretted not having participated in other HSE events before’
In previous years, I did not participate in HSE University’s activities. But I decided that since 2022 is my last complete year at university, I was going to attend some of them. The first thing I recall the most is HSE University-St Petersburg Day, which was held in September. I really enjoyed going there—it was planned and executed very well. The venue, the different challenges, activities, prizes and concerts, and the atmosphere were just perfect and very amusing. Actually, after this, I regretted not having participated in other HSE events before. Then I attended a lecture about stress management organised as part of HSE Mental Health Week that was very helpful and interesting. Another discovery was the HSE Russian Movie Club: we watched a movie I didn't know about before and had a nice discussion after that. It was just wonderful! To sum up, I should say, I enjoyed all the HSE University events I attended. They were very entertaining, interesting and fun for everyone—especially for foreigners, who could make new friends and gain knowledge and experience.
Dong-Dong Pan, 2nd-year student of the Master’s programme ‘Business and Politics in Modern Asia’
‘Despite the problems, the university has been able to give me a high-quality education’
The last year of my master’s degree began a few months ago.
My first year of study was one of discovery and growth, both personal and professional. I noticed that the education I am receiving at HSE University is different from what I had on my bachelor’s: it is much more active and 'fun', what they teach you is immediately put into practice in seminars, and the professors are very helpful.
The second year was less of a discovery than the first, but those first months helped me to consolidate what I had previously discovered and to deepen my knowledge. Despite the problems faced this year, the university has been able to give me an education at the height of the first year and has given me many opportunities that I could take advantage of to build a foundation for my future outside the university.
The international atmosphere at HSE University allowed me to get to know new cultures, and this has only brought prosperity to my journey.
Indiana Lokotar, 4th-year student of the Bachelor’s programme ‘Political Science and World Politics’
‘There is greater solidarity among my colleagues; we are ready to help each other’
What is great about this year is that the professors became closer to us. In contrast to the first year, now it is a little less formal and it really creates a special atmosphere! We also started to spend more time together with my course mates outside of the university and became more tight-knit in classes as well. There is greater solidarity among my colleagues; we know everyone’s character better and, most importantly, we are ready to help each other.
This is my last year in Russia and I really enjoy every detail, like the snow and my dormitory! After COVID-19, I could not get here and I missed everything so much. So I am very glad to finally be here!
Orin Chowdhury, 2nd year student of the Master’s programme ‘Management and Analytics for Business’
‘Amazing!’
One word is not enough to describe your first year in Russia.
At the very beginning, I was very worried about how I could cope with the new culture, people and places. For the first few days, I felt like I was a fish out of water. But after a few weeks, I discovered my days had become amazing in this beautiful city, as I was surrounded by my wonderful friends. My Russian friends helped me a lot to break the ice at the beginning. After attending classes regularly, when I became acquainted with the city and the culture, it seemed to me that I should have come to Russia earlier. I travel to different cities and regions in Russia during my vacations, including Moscow, Sochi, Karelia, and Vyborg. All these places are so vibrant, with a culture that amazed me. The life of students in Russia is extremely interesting. Apart from studies, international students also get to participate in extracurricular activities and represent their university.
After spending a year in Russia, I would say that the image of Russia that I had before visiting here is completely different from what I actually experienced. I would like to explore Russia for a few more years.
Article prepared by Elizaveta Sytikova.