“The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.”

– Plutarch

When I entered Borys Grinchenko Kyiv Metropolitan University, I had no particular expectations. Perhaps that is why the first weeks of my studies were unexpected, exciting and emotionally intense at the same time. I moved to the capital, started living independently in a new city, and this change of social environment was both inspiring and sometimes frightening. New faces, new places, new rhythms — all this caused mixed feelings, but positive impressions prevailed.

I was really lucky because I made friends almost immediately. My academic group turned out to be incredible — we are all girls, and, fortunately, from the very beginning we felt supportive and friendly with each other. This made adaptation very easy and made the first months of study much more comfortable.

I was pleasantly surprised by the teachers: each of them gives the impression of a professional who is sincerely passionate about his or her work. They not only present the material in a marvelous way, but also try to support students on an emotional level, which is especially essential at the beginning of such an important stage of life. The university has separate subjects that help freshies, I mean first-year students, better adapt to student life — I have not seen this in other educational institutions.

I especially remember the non-standard formats of classes. For example, classes in the university library or in the recording studio, where we had the opportunity to try our hand at dubbing cartoons. Such moments not only diversify the learning process, but also help to better understand how knowledge is applied in practice.

I would also like to mention the active student life. Volunteer activities, exciting events outside the university, various trips — all this creates a sense of unity and a lively, friendly community. It is also important that students themselves are actively involved in organizing events and are really interested in the development of the university environment.

To be honest, I had no idea that university studies could be like this. Grinchenko University has become a place for me where I not only gain knowledge, but also develop as a person. Here I have met magnificent people, learned a lot of new things and already have many vivid memories. I feel comfortable here, and I’m glad I made this choice. All this inspires me to move on and discover even more.