Weekend interview: Off-campus Activities

Greetings from Polina! I am back here again. These days young journalists are getting into students life after a summer break. While it’s raining outside, I am talking to second-year web-journalism students about work and rest.

Active and Calm

Polina:  It’s common to think that the beginning of the academic year has always been very busy. Weekend is coming. Are you working on your projects getting ready for your classes or thinking of having a rest?

Shukh Elena: My plan for the coming weekend is to turn on my home cinema projector and start a marathon of Tarantino films with my dear.

Nadtochaeva Darya: I’m also planning on getting cozy in my bed and read a good book.  The sound of flipping book pages is surprisingly pleasant for me. I’ve read a lot of books this summer, by the way. In July alone, I read 12 books… So now I’m planning to continue this marathon. Life without reading brings me physical pain.

Huryanava Maya: I am the opposite. I am cycling 10 kilometers to Minsk sea where I will spend a night in a tent camp.

Demkovich Tanya: I think the weather is not very good for doing exercise. Well, drawing is my thing so l am thinking of practicing and improving my hobby. I might study 3D modeling. But knowing the “sloth” in my soul, there is a chance that I most likely will do nothing. But who knows…

Polina: Wow! I wish I were you! But I am working at the library this weekend. Might be also curios!

 Unforgettable and Wonderful

Polina: These days people travel a lot around Belarus. Did you visit any places of interest in and beyond Belarus in summer?

Volosach Yana: Travelling around Belarus? That’s what my summer 2022 was filled with! Last winter I decided to visit Grodno, and this summer I managed to fulfill this little dream.

Polina: Indeed, Grodno is a magnificent city that is worth visiting. What did you like most about your trip?

Volosach Yana: Oh, there were so many cool things! I admired the oldest courtyards of this city, ate delicious street food in the park and just enjoyed long walks with my friends – we walked a total of about 30.000 steps. Even getting there by train with my friends was a special adventure. At midnight we drank tea from these authentic glass mugs on the train, enjoyed the landscapes and just talked about everything – these memories are truly precious.

Shukh Elena: I also managed to travel around Belarus a little, which I am glad about. I will never forget the city of Borisov, I was struck by the atmosphere of the old town.

Baibakova Anastasiya: I agree joining the crowd of culture lovers is a good idea. This year I went to Russia to broaden my cultural horizons. So, in August I invited my friend to travel to St. Petersburg together. We spent 4 days there. There we visited St. Isaac’s and Kazan’s cathedrals, went to an exhibition of contemporary art in the Hermitage. We lived in a one-room apartment, so we slept on the same bed and often fought over a blanket. However, this trifle didn’t spoil the impression. We liked everything and we don’t mind having such a fantastic adventure once again.

Polina: What place do you think is the most beautiful in St. Petersburg?

Baibakova Anastasiya: For me, naturally, this is Bronze Horseman – a monument to Peter I on Senate Square in St. Peterburg.

Polina: Thank you for your stories.

 Actual and Classy

Polina:  Students of the faculty of journalism have an internship for their degree. Is there anyone who was doing traineeship in summer?

Kurdo Ekaterina: Yes, I can say that it was a very productive summer. I had an internship in my local newspaper. I worked with the social networks of the organization, with their news site and, of course, wrote articles for the newspaper.  My skills as a journalist were mastered. The editors were satisfied with my work and offered to collaborate with the office in August.

Polina: Cool! You got a professional experience and a job! I’m very happy for you, keep it up!

Kurdo Ekaterina: Thank you, it was really interesting and useful activity.

Huryanava Maya: I was also really impressed by people, work and the town where I went for targeted training. It was Kirovsk, a small town in Mogilev region. You can walk around it in half an hour! When in Kirovsk my friend and I stayed in a local cozy hotel. As for my traineeship, I think it was amazing. I really liked my editorial department, everybody was ready to help me. I wrote articles on entertainment topics: about how the local house of culture organizes holidays and about members of the wool felting club. The editor-in-chief praised me for the articles that I wrote. I think that traineeship is useful and pleasant experience.

Polina: Sounds good! These days a lot of students spend their summer holidays working to gain some experience, not only in the journalistic field. Has anyone of you used this opportunity?

Nadtochaeva Darya: Oh yes. This year I decided to prove myself and fulfilled my intention of trying something new by getting my first job. I’ve got the first entry in my work record book!

Polina: Congratulations! What was your first job like?

Nadtochaeva Darya: I worked as a counselor at the children’s camp named after Marat Kazey. As a child, I used to spend every summer there, so I was very pleased to return. This is a place where every pine, every brick and every blade of grass is familiar to me, so I felt very calm and secure. Also, the children I worked with were the best! These were the funniest, most interesting and kindest guys. Up to this day I remember everyone’s eyes, our conversations by a small campfire, our active games and quiet gatherings. This is the best memory of this summer!

Polina: Seems that you had a really wonderful time! And this is a great start of your career journey, by the way.

Nadtochaeva Darya: Absolutely.

 Lovely and Relaxing

Polina: I spent part of my vacation in my native town. I enjoyed hiking, going on a picnic, relaxing at home. Do you agree that staying at home might be delightful?

Kosyakova Anastasia: Yes! I spent my summer at home quite productively. In the morning I read books and did yoga. In the afternoon, I took courses in web design. I finished them successfully and received a certificate. And I also was mastering cooking! In the evening I went for a walk, as it was very hot outside during the day. I believe that time at home can be spent with benefit. Your desire is the main thing!

Volosach Yana: Definitely! As for me, summer has always been associated with something warm and sincere: home, countryside, friends… And a lot of ice-cream. So I’m glad I managed to spend some time at home with my parents. We constantly swam in the pool, walked in the forest, picked berries and did many other interesting things. For me getting home to the countryside means to rejuvenate.

Dulevich Egor: I agree that staying at home might be fantastic. I created a personal comfort zone at home by reading a lot, playing the guitar and writing stories. I was also pleased with walking along Minsk avenues with my friends.

Voitekhovich Elena: I also agree that staying at home might be delightful, because you can devote a lot of time to yourself, for example read books, watch movies, listen to music or find new fun hobbies. This is an excellent opportunity to get to know yourself better, to understand what makes you excited or, on the contrary, makes you feel sad. When you know yourself well, any place can become a home, because you become your own home.

Polina: Indeed, summer is a whole new life full of nice memories. Do you have the best memory that will help you to get warm in winter?

Yakutina Lolita: Yes, I do. I call it “The story of one watermelon”

Polina: “The story of one watermelon”? Sounds extremely interesting! Can you share it?

Yakutina Lolita: It was a sunny lazy day, when my friends and I just chilled and planned to do nothing. But my friend Liza saw a cute tik-tok video (https://www.tiktok.com/@nayothecorgi/video/7141841264651046186?is_from_webapp=v1&item_id=7141841264651046186&lang=ru-RU.). And the story of a watermelon began.  Me and my two friends, Liza and Violetta, decided to go to the market. It was an extremely colorful place with crowds of people selling and buying different things. Our main purpose was to buy a watermelon. After two circles around the market we found a perfect one and brought it home by ourselves like three strong and independent women.

Polina: Was it heavy to carry?

Yakutina Lolita: Yes, it was huge! But I think it was funny and rather healthy for us, because the previous day we ate only pasta, apple pie and wonderful cinnamon rolls from a nearby bakery.

Polina: Some physical activity never hurt anybody. So, what happened next to this watermelon?

Yakutina Lolita: We had been eating this huge watermelon all day and at 3 am Liza made it into … a helmet. Can you imagine? Violetta and I didn’t believe that being smart, active and pretty girls we were doing this. But sometimes you should be like a child and just have fun, I guess.

Polina: This is hilarious! I understand why this memory will keep you warm in winter.

Yakutina Lolita: I am so thankful to my friends for this memory. They are absolutely amazing – I can both talk to them about psychoanalysis and make a melon helmet with them.

Polina: Okay, but things are not always as good as we expect them to be. Maybe there are those who did not spend their summer the way they wanted?

Demkovich Tanya: Oh, yes! Unfortunately, this summer I was unlucky to live near some state renovation works, so every day I was listening to the rumble of cars, the sound of a drill or the screams of disgruntled workers. Moreover, I had my own repair in my house, so the noise was even closer and louder, and the workers for some reason were even more restrained, not to mention a large-scale cleaning I had to do after every working day. After that, it was quite difficult not to be irritated and gloomy for the rest of the day. And it went on and on throughout the whole summer…  So, the summer can go not only well, but also painfully.

Polina: Ooh…But every cloud has a silver lining. Repair is a new life, a change of scenery. It’s great, isn’t it?

Demkovich Tanya: Well, I guess …

Sign of Peace

Polina:  In conclusion, traditionally I would like to ask you about your life credo. What’s it?

Kurdo Ekaterina: We have a group slogan. We have been moving forward with it for the second year…

Polina: Sounds interesting, could you please share it with me and our readers?

Group: It’s «V» means Peace in the World, «V» means Web-Journalism.

Polina: Thank you guys for your time and wonderful stories. I wish you and our readers a great weekend. I hope you’ll fulfill all your plans. Good luck!

Тhe photos and video are taken from the personal archive of the web journalism group.

Baibakova Anastasiya, managing editor

Shukh Elena, technical editor

Proofreaders group: Anastasia S. Petrovskaya, trainee teacher; Dulevich Egor, Huryanava Maya, second-year web-journalism students