Do What You Love | Maria Stoyanova
It’s a Friday evening, but instead of going out Maria Stoyanova is doing one of her last projects for the semester. This is her last year at the American University in Bulgaria and up to now she says that it has been — stressful, but interesting and adventurous.
Maria is graduating in May 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Information Systems. Then in the summer she will go for her last work and travel program, but after that she still doesn’t have any plans. “I am beginning to be like scared for the future that’s aligned for me because I like it when I have things planned, but right now I don’t have any plans after the summer has passed.”
One thing Maria is certain about is that she wants to develop professionally with what she has studied and after some time to go for a master’s degree abroad. However, she hopes that she will still have time for her biggest passion — folklore dancing, or even do it as a side job. “I wouldn’t stick with only one thing, but try as many things as I can,” says Maria.
That’s why at AUBG she has tried various extracurricular activities and clubs, but above all remained her love for dancing. Maria has been part of the Bulgarian Folk Dance Club “Samodiva” since she was a freshman and last year, she was the president of the club. Being a president was one of her greatest struggles because she had to balance between the club’s responsibilities and her classes. On the other hand, this was also her greatest achievement.
“This is my greatest one of all, not only because I managed to do that, but also for the people that I worked with, the connections that I did during this time,” says Maria as she takes a moment off of writing her project and sips her cola.
The club advisor, Senem Konedareva says that working with Maria is easy and she always brings assigned tasks to an end. “We know Mimi as an open and hard-working person, very communicative. Last year she organized almost everything for the play and linked many people together,” says Senem in relation to the club’s activities when Maria was a president. “She is very motivated, organized and really friendly,” adds Senem.
Maria says that she has made a lot of friendships at the university and she is grateful for all of them. She adds that what she will miss the most after graduating are the people. “I am really going to miss AUBG because I really enjoyed the time being here, especially the people that I met here. Being in the whole community, seeing each other every day.”
Besides friendships Maria shares that these 4 years have given her confidence, joyful moments and a way to develop positive thinking. This formed her perception of what she finds beautiful. “Beautiful for me is like…let’s say someone that enjoys him or herself as the way he or she is. I am trying to do so myself,” says Maria.
In 10 years from now, Maria hopes to have a stable job, that she likes and perhaps a family. “It was like yesterday when I was a freshman. Time at AUBG goes fast,” says Maria. That’s why the most important thing she learned in university and her advice for other students is to just do whatever they love to do, while they still have the time.
“Do whatever you love. But definitely don’t overthink too much. Life is short and as I said time passes really fast here. So, if you want to join a club, just join it, don’t overthink it, if you want to be with someone, just be with them. If you want to do a particular thing, just do it. Do what you love.”
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Sofia Drenkova studies Journalism and Mass Communication at AUBG. She is an artistic person and interested in dancing.
