Nov 30, 2021
Mariya Haydushka
Mariya Haydushka raised right across AUBG. The diversity, friendliness, foreigners, everything just pulled her towards the university.
Mia is a freshman, on her first day here, during the orientation week, she was nervous, however enthusiastic because she got to meet a lot of new people and make new friends. She also remembers her first class, which was with professor Philips. “It was at 9 am and I had a hard time waking up, however, once I got there, I enjoyed the lecture and socializing.”
It seems like she is a more extroverted person, this first week of meeting new people filled her with energy. Due to COVID-19, she didn’t have the chance to do personal communication, so it was an amazing experience.
That is why she prefers on-ground lectures as well. Even if she has to wake up for a 9 am class, Mia would be much more productive in class. This applies also to the course she hates the most — Math. It is more beneficial for her to be there, rather than at home in her bed. “I get distracted a lot at home, I want to see the actual people and be active in class.”
One of her most pleasant memories from this semester is her acceptance in Dance Crew. “Everyone was so friendly and open, I was able to dance freely and have fun. I was a little nervous and stressed at the beginning of the audition, however after that I was very happy”
Dancing is her coping mechanism. “I would play loud music in my room and start dancing around. I just forget everything else and I think only about the moves, while in practice as well.”
Her biggest support in life is her mother. “I tell her everything, she would always feel when I am upset or sad.” Mia is grateful for having her, her mother has always pushed her to be more active, to dance, take piano lessons, drawing lessons, everything that Mia would like to try. “She would even push me to take even more extracurricular activities.”
Her father, however, is not around as much. He went abroad to work when she was 7 and her parents got divorced when she was 11. Because he moved away so early, she never had the traditional father-daughter relationship. She loves him as a father, but he is more of financial support. “I wish I had the closeness other people have with their dads,” she said. She grew more with a mother figure and her bigger sister, and no male presence.
“My sister acts more like my mom than my actual mother,” Mia said with a smile. Her sister, Tsvetana, graduated AUBG in 2020 and is currently working here. Her sister encouraged her also to study at AUBG because of her great experience as well. She is Mia’s biggest influence, she is the person that always guides her to make better choices for herself.
Her last comment was: “One thing I know that I want for sure when I am older is that I want a monkey pet.”
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Stefani Yovcheva is majoring in Business Administration and double-minoring in Journalism and Fine Arts at the American University in Bulgaria. This article was an amazing learning experience and a beginning of a new friendship.
