What Is The Internet Lovers Circle?

Interview with Masha Terk about one of the most authentic student organizations in HSE.

HSE Illuminated were privileged to talk with Masha Terk, deputy head of the Internet Lovers Circle, one of the most interesting and authentic student organizations of the Faculty of Communications, Media and Design, about the project and its events.

Hey, Masha! Will you, please, tell me about the Internet Lovers Circle’ project?

Probably I need to explain why we are called ‘circle’. It’s a Soviet tradition naming extracurricular activities for children. We also think that circle associates with unity and equality and we try to create such environment at our meetings. We run circle with Vika Bordukova, Ksusha Vakhrusheva, Anya Shetvina, Emma Barsegova and Polina Kolozaridi. The idea came from Polina. She is the coordinator of ‘Club for the internet and society enthusiasts’, also she’s a HSE professor and scientific adviser for some of us. So, she brought an idea to organize the circle for students who are doing or interested in internet study. Then we expended themes to actually any study, which somehow includes internet. With the exception of Anya, we are all studying and working in communication, media and design department and our program is mostly practical. So faculty is really supporting us in cultivating student's interest in media studies.

What does the usual ILC meeting routine consist of?

We meet every two weeks and discuss the topic that was set. The core of our meetings is to help a person with his work. It’s not about bringing a speech about how good your study is (even if it’s true). It's about educating each other and thinking together about the better way to carry on with the study. That’s why we have a horizontal relationship in spite the fact that we are working with professor. This year we decided to diverse formats and not just discuss someone’s study but also doing data-sessions, readings, discussions with some experts from business, academic sphere, consulting environment. But it’s still strongly connected with our studies.

I know that last week on December 11 you gave a huge presentation about your bachelor thesis for ILC. How that went down?

Well, it wasn’t huge! Not so many people came, but I can totally get it. My theme is not that obvious and fun (but not for me). Last year I did a course work about how people in monocytes imagine their future. As a case a took Nizhny Tagil. It’s a pretty big monocity in Sverdlovsk district in Ural. So I planned to do data-session where we would look through its community in Russian social network VK. But instead we ended up talking about my diploma. What I like about the circle is that you are not obliged to do something if you don’t want to. And it was very productive meeting for me.

How does one become a member of ILC?

We are open to everyone. You can just come to our next meeting. We have a Telegram chat, Facebook and VK pages where we make all the announcements. Or just email me and I’ll tell you all the information.  

Have you ever encountered exchange students at ILC events? Would you like them to come and join you at your events?

As I have already said, we are very open to everyone to join. But at the meetings we mostly speak Russian but if some exchange student like to come, we’ll try to figure out how to include him in discussion.

What does the future hold for ILC?

Well, we've already finished with meeting for 2019 and haven’t set any dates for upcoming year. But we definitely will continue to talk about student’s studies and probably will make more seminars and readings. Subscribe to our social pages, so you won’t miss an announcement of the future meetings!

Subscribe to Internet Lovers Circle: VK | Facebook | Telegram

Internet Lovers Circle website: clubforinternet.net/kruzok

Text by
Rostislav Miretskiy