Alice’s Journey: Growing Through Psychology and Moving from Belarus to Russia

Alice’s experience moving from Minsk to Moscow while pursuing her psychology studies.

Alice Samoshchenko, a student of the Master’s programme in Counselling Psychology and Psychotherapy at HSE University, speaks about her path from Minsk to Moscow, her early fascination with clinical psychology, and the way the university helped her grow into an independent young professional. Her story unfolds slowly, through a series of choices made almost intuitively, encounters with people who influenced her perspective, and transitions that demanded maturity long before she felt fully ready for it. It is a story of moving from one country to another, but also of moving inward – toward clearer interests, firmer values, and a more confident sense of self.

Alice Samoshchenko,

a student of the Master’s programme in Counselling Psychology and Psychotherapy, HSE

Discovering HSE and Making the Decision to Move

Alice first heard about HSE in the 10th grade while studying at the BSU Lyceum in Minsk – a place that felt both academically demanding and socially dynamic. “I learned about it from friends I knew who were applying to the psychology faculty,” she recalls. “When they told me about HSE, I thought: okay, maybe this is something worth exploring.” At that time, the idea sounded almost abstract, but it planted a seed.

What started as curiosity soon turned into a structured search. “I looked at psychology programmes in several countries,” she says. “France, Poland… I checked the curriculum and everything I could find.” She approached the choice methodically, even though she was only 16.

A single detail ended up shaping her decision: the international ranking of HSE’s psychology faculty. “I saw that the psychology faculty ranked really high,” she says. “That was impressive. It gave me a sense that this was a serious, ambitious programme.”

Getting admitted wasn’t as straightforward. “I tried to get in through an Olympiad,” she says, laughing. “And I literally missed it by two points. Two points! I was so frustrated at the time.” But the setback didn’t stop her. “Then I took HSE’s internal exams. It worked out. And that’s how I got in.”

What is striking is how natural the final decision felt. “I had no difficulties deciding to move,” she says simply. “The ranking mattered, the fact that the programme was in Russian mattered, and a lot of my friends were also planning to move to Moscow. I knew I wouldn’t be alone.”

Many people hesitate when faced with the idea of relocating to a new country, but Alice experienced none of that paralysis. “I always had the perspective that I would leave eventually,” she says. “Maybe for a Master’s, maybe for a PhD. Moscow was just the first step.”

First Impressions of Moscow

Before arriving, Alice imagined Moscow as a vast, spacious capital – something grand and slightly daunting. “I thought it would be huge and honestly a little scary,” she says. “But I wasn’t even thinking much about the city itself. I was more focused on studying, on whether I would manage socially and academically.”

The reality was different. “Everything was much denser than I expected,” she says. “Compact, tight, fast-paced. I needed the first two years just to adjust to the rhythm, the architecture, the way people move through the city.” In her words, “My expectations didn’t match the experience at all.”

Even today, after five years, Moscow occupies a specific emotional space in her life: familiar, comfortable, but not quite home. “After all this time I’m comfortable here, but I still don’t perceive it as home,” she says. “My home is Minsk. But Moscow has become the place where I live well.” She describes her life as “split between two cities,” each shaping her in different ways.

Academic Interests: Falling in Love With Clinical Psychology

From her first year, clinical psychology became the anchor of her academic experience. “I love everything close to medicine,” she explains. “Everything that borders medical practice – psychodiagnostics, clinical assessments – that was the material that fascinated me most.”

Her memories of psychodiagnostics classes are particularly vivid. “I especially loved the course with Tatyana Alexandrovna Shmarina,” she says. “And another course taught by a lecturer who works at a psychoneurological dispensary. It was incredibly engaging. Everything connected with real clinical practice clicked with me immediately.”

The appeal, she explains, wasn’t theoretical – it was practical, grounded, tangible. “Courses related to clinical work felt meaningful. I could see why I needed them, how they fit into real professional life. They didn’t feel abstract.”

Finding Community: People, Projects, and Belonging

Asked what helped her adapt to Moscow most, Alice answers instantly: “People. Definitely people.”

Her first year was shaped by spontaneous conversations, joint projects and group chats that turned into friendships. “My close friends – they made the place feel safe. They were the reason I didn’t feel lost in the city.”

Meeting people came naturally to her. “Very easily,” she laughs. “I remember going outside during breaks specifically to meet someone new. I wanted to understand who my groupmates were, what they liked, how we overlapped. It was fun – we energized each other.”

Another important part of her community experience grew out of SHYP – the School of Young Psychologist. “It’s an amazing initiative,” she says. “Students from grades 10 and 11 take classes taught by HSE professors and students.”

SHYP opened up unexpected opportunities. “It gave me a chance to try teaching for the first time,” she says. “I held seminars, organized team-building activities. I tried leadership, communication, mentoring – all at once. It shaped me so much.”

Through SHYP, she discovered that she enjoys guiding others. “Being in the role of the person who helps, who explains, who supports – it felt very natural,” she says. “It showed me that I can work with people in this format, too.”

Choosing a Master’s at HSE

When the time came to consider a Master’s programme, Alice approached the search with the same structured approach she used at 17. “I compared different universities in Moscow,” she says. “But none of the programmes matched my interests.”

The programme at MSU, for example, felt too familiar. “It looked almost identical to my Bachelor’s,” she explains. “I didn’t want to repeat the same thing for two more years. I needed something new.”

Despite minor mismatches with her ideal vision, HSE remained the strongest option. “Not everything aligned perfectly,” she admits. “But among all the choices, HSE was the only one that felt like a real next step.”

How the Master’s Programme Feels Different

For Alice, the most striking difference between Bachelor’s and Master’s studies is the people. “In the Master’s, everyone knows what they want,” she says. “Nobody is searching for their interests – they already have them. Every person has a clear intention.”

She describes the atmosphere as “more adult,” “more focused,” and “much more structured.” Discussions are deeper. Assignments feel connected to real practice. Group work is purposeful. “It’s not better or worse,” she says. “Just a different stage.”

The workload, she notes, is variable but manageable. “Some parts are harder, some easier. It depends on the content. But it feels balanced.”

Five Years of Growing Up

Looking at her five-year journey, Alice sees it as a period of profound change. “I became more independent, more separated,” she says. “I really grew up in Moscow.”

She arrived at 17, and now she is 22. “These are the years when you define yourself. Living in Moscow during this time shaped me in ways I didn’t expect.”

She speaks of learning to make decisions autonomously, to understand what she wants professionally. “The city, the people, the programme – all of that pushed me to grow.”

What She Would Tell Her Younger Self

Her advice to her first-year self is calm, compassionate, and grounded:

“If you don’t like some area of psychology, it’s okay,” she says. “Don’t force yourself to like everything. You’re allowed to choose. You’re allowed to specialize. It’s normal if something doesn’t interest you.”

She adds another thought: “Don’t be afraid to say no. And don’t be afraid to say that something doesn’t fit you.”

Advice for Anyone Moving Abroad to Study

Her message to future international students is honest and steady: “At first, it will be difficult. There will be an adaptation period when you’ll think: this isn’t my place. But you need to give yourself time. Try the city. Meet the people. Don’t rush to conclusions.”

She believes that adaptation is rarely instant. “Just give yourself time,” she says.

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Kseniya Chuprys