This edition is a farewell – and a festive one. As Christmas lights begin to glow, I, Daria Skvortsova, want to say a heartfelt thank you to Polina Nedvetskaya, who entrusted me with this wonderful project. Now, it’s my turn to pass the baton.
For the past two years, I have hosted this column together with our brilliant designer Angelina Voitova, whose collages gave every issue its own personality. Today, the tables are turning: Angelina and I will be the ones answering questions, sharing what we’ve learned, and reflecting on the year that’s drawing to a close.
Hello everyone! I’m Daria Gorskina, and I’m delighted to lead this special “Weekend Interview.” Usually we gather hundreds of your questions for our guests, but this time, our guests are the hosts themselves! As a gift before the New Year, Daria and Angelina have agreed to take the spotlight and look back on their journey. And there’s more: any BSU Faculty of Journalism student could jump in and ask their own questions for this issue. Enjoy reading and Happy New Year and Merry Christmas to all!
Coming Inspiring Weekend: New Year’s Mood
Daria Gorskina: Hi, Daria! Let’s start with the classic question of our column. New Year and Christmas are almost here – how are you planning to spend the holidays? What brings you joy during this magical season?
Daria Skvortsova: Hi! For me, this time of year is all about family. There will definitely be a cup of hot cocoa by the Christmas tree, cooking dinner together, and of course, exchanging gifts. Most of all, I love the atmosphere of warmth and quiet anticipation of a miracle. It’s wonderful to watch the city change, especially the centre sparkling with festive lights. This is when you naturally want to share care and happiness with others.
Daria Gorskina: Angelina, the winter exam session is upon us and it often threatens to ruin the festive mood. Do you have a personal recipe for balancing exam prep and holiday relaxation?
Angelina Voitova: Oh yes, it’s definitely a challenge! My typical pre-session weekend is all about balance: a couple of focused hours in the library or at home with my notes in the morning, and then an evening walk through the decorated streets or a cosy Christmas film. The key is not to feel guilty for resting. The brain needs resets. My loyal companions? A laptop with far too many tabs open and my headphones with a comforting playlist.
Behind the Scenes of “Weekend Interview”: Experiences and Stories
Daria Gorskina: Let’s talk about the column itself. Over these two years, you’ve conducted a whole series of interviews. How has your approach changed?
Daria Skvortsova: A lot! At the beginning, I stuck rigidly to a list of pre-written questions. Now, I listen much more closely. The most compelling responses often emerge from something spontaneous the guest mentions. I’ve learned to improvise, to follow the direction the speaker wants to take. It makes the conversation feel alive.
Daria Gorskina: And how did you manage to find so many different and interesting guests? Is there a secret formula?
Angelina Voitova: The secret is to stay curious. Many of our guests were friends of friends, classmates, or people whose projects impressed us on social media. We were always alert: if someone was doing something exciting, they immediately became a potential interviewee. Sometimes, people reached out to us themselves.
Daria Gorskina: Angelina, you created the collages for the column. What inspired you in your work with Daria?
Angelina Voitova: Each issue was a visual story. I always read the interview carefully and tried to catch the emotions: autumn leaves, city lights, family snapshots. I wanted the collage to be more than decoration – an extension of the text, shaping the mood. Working with Daria was effortless, we understood each other creatively from the start.
Daria Gorskina: Daria, is there a moment from all the interviews that stands out the most?
Daria Skvortsova: So many! But the interviews where guests opened up about their families were especially touching. I remember one girl describing her grandmother’s pies, it made my mouth water! And I’ll never forget our issue about beauty in historical places, I learned so much and immediately wanted to visit them myself.
Daria Gorskina: Stress and deadlines are part of journalism. How did you deal with them?
Angelina Voitova: Deadlines are our constant shadow. Clear planning helped: breaking the big task into small ones. And a quick chat with friends plus a cup of tea during a break does wonders. The thought that we were creating something meaningful for students always kept us going.
Daria Skvortsova: For me, it was music or a one-hour walk to reset. Sometimes you just need to exhale and then look again with fresh eyes.
Daria Gorskina: The year is ending and so is your chapter in this column. What do you consider your biggest achievement?
Daria Skvortsova: Not the number of interviews but the community that formed around them. People discovered one another through our stories, found shared interests. I’m proud we created a space for honest conversation about simple, yet important things: inspiration, family, beauty.
Daria Gorskina: What would you say to the next interviewer stepping into your shoes?
Daria Skvortsova: Be genuinely curious about the person in front of you. Prepare but don’t become a prisoner of your questions. Listen, don’t just wait to speak. And don’t be afraid of silence. Sometimes the most meaningful response appears after it.
Daria Gorskina: Working between two languages – was that a challenge? What did it give you?
Daria Skvortsova: It was invaluable. It strengthened my language skills and sharpened my ability to think flexibly. You learn not only to translate, but to adapt meaning, to find cultural bridges. It grows your empathy and helps you ask questions that resonate with a wide audience.
Daria Gorskina: And what comes next? Diploma? Exams?
Daria Skvortsova: Yes, thesis writing and finals are ahead – exciting and stressful all at once. It’s a fresh challenge. As for the column, I’m passing the reins to you with full confidence, Dasha! You’ll bring fresh ideas, and I’ll be eagerly reading the new issues.
Angelina Voitova: And I’m happily passing on the visual baton to the next designer!
Life Credo
Daria Gorskina: Students’ ambitions and dreams often push them to think about deeper meanings. With that in mind, I’d like to ask: what life credo united your team – you, Daria, as the host, and you, Angelina, as the designer – throughout your work on this column?
Daria Skvortsova: Our motto was: “Listen with your heart, write with your mind, design with your soul.” For me, the first part was essential. Every interview begins with listening — not only to the words, but to the emotion behind them. Then you turn that into a story with a clear structure and purpose.
Angelina Voitova: And my role was to give that story a visual soul, to find imagery that expresses the feeling. This credo really did guide us through every issue.
Daria Gorskina: Thank you both for the incredible work, energy, and warmth you poured into each edition. Dear readers, this has been a special year-end issue. Thank you for being with us. Wishing you joyful holidays, dreams come true, and fresh inspiration in the year ahead. See you in 2026 with new conversations and new voices!
Daria Skvartsova, a fourth-year student, international journalism department
Daria Gorskina, a second-year student specializing in journalism
Angelina Voitova, a fourth-year student, international journalism department, a junior designer
This New Year’s Eve edition is not just a farewell, but truly soulful and intimate. He masterfully changes the usual format, turning interviewers into guests, and this is his main strength. The reader gets a unique opportunity to look behind the scenes of their favorite column and see the people who have been creating its atmosphere for two years.
The text is surprisingly warm and sincere. The answers of Dasha Skvortsova and Angelina Voitova are not memorized lines, but a lively reflection on the path traveled. Their practical advice is especially valuable: on the importance of listening, on balancing work and leisure, and on finding inspiration in simple things. The story of how collages were born, how guests were found, and how stress was dealt with makes the project very human and intimate.
This material is the perfect bridge between the outgoing and the new year. He ends one chapter with gratitude and bright sadness, and at the same time opens the next one with hope and expectation. Thanks to the team for their honesty, depth and the «New Year’s mood» that is felt in every line.
A warm and fitting farewell to a beloved column. This interview beautifully captures the heart of the project—not just the final product, but the genuine collaboration, empathy, and shared curiosity that fueled it. The hosts’ credo, «Listen with your heart, write with your mind, design with your soul,» perfectly summarizes the sincerity that made their work resonate. It’s a heartfelt tribute to the community they built and a thoughtful passing of the torch, leaving readers with a sense of gratitude and anticipation for what’s next.
This article is a warm and heartfelt farewell to the project, filled with gratitude and light nostalgia. It skillfully combines several important themes: the passing of the torch, reflection on past work, and the creation of a festive mood.
It is especially valuable that the final interview is dedicated not to external guests, but to the creators of the column themselves — Daria Skvortsova and designer Angelina Voitova. This is a beautiful gesture that allows readers to look «behind the scenes» of two years of work. Their sincere answers about balancing studies and the holidays, the stress of deadlines, and the secrets of finding inspiration make the story very relatable for any student audience.
The article is structured as a dialogue, making the reading light and dynamic. The key messages — about the importance of genuine curiosity, the ability to listen, and the value of community — are presented without pretension, simply and convincingly. The team’s motto, «Listen with your heart, write with your mind, design with your soul,» becomes a logical and warm summary of their journey.
This is the perfect material for the end of the year: it inspires, offers practical advice, and leaves an aftertaste of human warmth and faith that good traditions will live on in new hands.
I was truly touched by Daria’s forgiveness; it was a very warm conclusion to her chapter. Thank you so much for so many insightful and interesting articles, which were always a pleasure to read. Now I eagerly await Angelina’s new work. I’m sure her materials will also yield many important discoveries. Thank you for this wonderful project and your attention to each author.
This is a wonderful, very warm and intimate column, which becomes a true Christmas gift for readers. The passing of the baton is always a touching and important moment, and the way it’s handled here evokes immense sympathy. Instead of a farewell, there’s a celebration; instead of departure, there’s an opportunity to peek behind the scenes and ask questions of the creators themselves. It’s a very wise and heartfelt approach.
The text immediately sets the right mood: the combination of gratitude (to Polina and the readers), personal holiday plans, and life hacks for surviving exams makes it incredibly lively and relatable. Dasha and Angelina’s answers are genuine, without pathos, and that’s their greatest value. Angelina, with her headphones and a bunch of browser tabs, is a character any student can understand.
The idea of inviting students from the BSU Faculty of Journalism to answer questions is especially touching—it creates a sense of a true community, of «one of our own.» A great way to end the year for this column: not a summary, but a warm conversation with friends around the Christmas tree. Happy holidays to the entire team, and I look forward to an inspiring weekend in the new year.
This text left a very warm and festive impression. I like how it combines reflections on teamwork, creativity, and the spirit of the holidays. The personal stories from Daria and Angelina make the farewell issue feel genuine and heartfelt. It’s inspiring to see how their approach to interviewing and creating the column has evolved, and how much care they put into their work. The atmosphere of friendship, gratitude, and celebration truly shines through in every line.
It was a very cozy, warm, and, most importantly, sincere conversation! It was fascinating to read how Daria Skvortsova and Angelina Voitova refined their approach to the column; I think everyone can learn useful tips. Special thanks to Angelina for her valuable advice on preparing for the winter exam session. Reading the «Weekend Interview» episodes, I wanted to learn more about Daria and Angelina, and now I have a wonderful opportunity! I wish Daria Skvortsova and Angelina Voitova success with their thesis, and Daria Gorskina —creative inspiration and interesting guests for the column!
Amazing article! the article is incredibly touching and heartfelt! It is very exciting to say goodbye to the presenter, who gave us so many interesting interviews on exciting topics. Thank you for everything, Daria! And I would like to wish Daria Gorskina good luck! I am sure she will be able to continue this project with dignity and will give us a lot of exciting materials! Personally, I would like to see materials about the lives of young people and students in the future. Happy holidays to all!
Thank you very much for the work done, Daria! It was very cool to get acquainted with your articles! Insanely grateful that we became a part of your articles. We wish you good luck and fruitful work in the future!
We wish you a successful passing of the session and the defense of the diploma!!
I’m really sad that our weekend interview host, a 4th-year student Daria Skvortsova, is leaving us. She’s been so important to our university platform. I’m going to really miss your wonderful articles; they were always so interesting and so well-written. You made the column so much better, and we learned so much from you. I truly wish you all the best as you start your journalism career! Thank you for everything you’ve done for us. We’ll miss you a lot. Marry Christmas and Happy New Year!
The article leaves the impression of an easy, friendly conversation, where journalism is shown not as a dry profession, but as a way to create connections and inspire. It sums up the authors’ two-year work and simultaneously sets the tone for future releases. Reading evokes a feeling of warmth and gratitude, as well as a desire to become part of such a «merry-go-round» university circle.
I think this is a wonderful pre-New Year’s article. I really like how Angelina described her holiday routine. I also love cocoa and evening strolls through Minsk to look at the lights. Thanks to Daria for her work, I wish everyone a happy new year!
I read this article with great warmth and a sense of recognition. It surprisingly accurately conveys the spirit of student media — that very mixture of inspiration, crazy time pressure and sincere belief that your work is important.
I completely agree with Daria Skvortsova on the main point: the most valuable thing in such a project is not the amount of materials, but the emerging community. It feels like the rubric has become not just a page, but a living space for conversation, and this is a great achievement. Her advice to «listen, not wait for your turn to speak» is a golden rule not only for interviews, but also for any meaningful communication. I recognized myself in this: I also went from rigidly following questions to the ability to improvise, catching the most interesting turns of the interlocutor’s thoughts.
I was particularly touched and resonated with Angelina’s recipe for balance — about preparing for a session without feeling guilty about resting. This is the wisdom that perfectionists often lack. And her approach to collage as an «extension of text» is a perfect illustration of how design and word can create a single emotion.
The phrase that «deadlines are our constant shadow» made me smile with recognition. This experience is part of our common journalistic DNA. And the final credo of the team — «Listen with your heart, write with your mind, create design with your soul» — sounds like an ideal formula not only for journalism, but also for any creative team work.
The article leaves a feeling of bright nostalgia and at the same time faith in the continuation. This is a beautiful point in one chapter and a very warm beginning for a new one. Thanks to the authors for their honesty and inspiration!
A wonderful final graduation note, warm and sincere. There is a sincere respect for colleagues and gratitude to readers. The transition to the new year feels like a smooth bridge between the past and the future, which is perfect for the end of the year and the start of a new chapter in the column. The emphasis on friendship and synergy between the hosts and the designer adds a special warmth to the text and makes it very human.
Suggestions: maintain the warm tone, add a short teaser with new voices and formats, emphasize the value of the community, and strengthen the visual accents (covers/quotes).
Merry Christmas!!!
A great and heartfelt article with a wonderful New Year’s atmosphere. It was especially valuable to learn about the creative union of the presenter and the designer from the inside. I would like to read such behind-the-scenes materials about the creation of student media more often. Thank you for this warm farewell and an inspiring start for the new team.
This article has a useful influence on me, thank you Daria for your work, recent time has been really hard for students, but your article gives us motivation and New Year mood
This article perfectly reflects not only the difficulties faced by journalism students, but also their achievements and inspiration. The interviewers share valuable tips on how to cope with stress and find common ground with their interlocutors, which makes their experience useful for future journalists. The creation of a community around their articles is especially impressive — it emphasizes the importance of sincere communication and the search for common interests. I wish all the authors further success in their careers and hope for new inspiring stories next year!
What a truly heartwarming and insightful read! This farewell edition beautifully captures the essence of what made «Weekend Interview» so special. Thank you, Daria Gorskina, for steering this unique conversation, and a massive, heartfelt thank you to Daria Skvortsova and Angelina Voitova for two years of wonderful work.
This was more than a farewell; it was a graceful passing of the baton filled with wisdom, gratitude, and inspiration. It’s clear that Daria and Angelina didn’t just run a column—they nurtured a little universe of stories. Wishing them the best with their theses and finals, and eagerly awaiting the new chapter in 2025!
Happy Holidays to the entire team and readers
I really liked how the text conveyed a sincere and warm atmosphere. The mood of waiting for miracles on the eve of Christmas gives the story a special festive and inspiring note. It was interesting to learn about the beginning of Daria’s journey and her first steps. . I also remember their rule of life — «Listen to your heart, write with your mind, create with your soul,» which seems very valuable to all creative people. I am sure that such views help to approach any tasks with completeness and meaning. I’m looking forward to new interviews, especially with Daria and Angelina. Your work is really inspiring!
I especially liked that the text feels sincere and warm. The atmosphere of Christmas waiting for miracles makes the graduation festive and inspiring.It was very interesting to read about Daria’s experience, where she started. I was also impressed by Angelina’s responsible approach to her work. A separate discovery was their life credo — «Listen with your heart, write with your mind, design with your soul.» I think it will be useful for every creative person, because it is important to approach tasks from this position — holistically and meaningfully. I look forward to the next interviews, with Daria and Angelina as guests. Thank you for your work!
The article made a positive impression on me.It was especially interesting to hear how the authors warmly share their memories.
I liked how your text created a warm and sincere atmosphere. The mood of waiting for miracles on Christmas Eve added a special festive and inspiring touch to the story. It was interesting to learn about the beginning of Daria’s journey and her first steps. Such views help to approach tasks with completeness and meaning. I’m looking forward to new interviews, especially with Daria and Angelina. I really liked your work!
It was so fascinating to read this article, as a peek behind the scenes is always so interesting. Thanks to the interview, I felt like I got to know Daria and Angelina better, because the questions were asked by the readers themselves. Thank you, wonderful ladies!
Thank you very much, Daria. The article left a very positive impression. It shows that even in the daily grind of school, you can find joy, create something meaningful, and share it with others. I liked that the authors share not only facts but also emotions, which makes the text lively and sincere.
A fitting farewell to their own favorite column! I’m sure it wasn’t just a job for Daria and Angelina. It was very nice to see the well-prepared, edited interviews. It was interesting to learn about the creation and preparation of conversations with teachers and more. Good luck and success to Daria and Angelina in their creative path and in life!
This is a very sincere article that makes you think about a lot of things. Readers can learn more about creating interviews and take something new for themselves. It perfectly describes the cycle of study schedule, communication and personal growth. Although the routine can sometimes seem eternal, it is this movement that also provides stability and the opportunity for students to develop skills and build friendships. In my opinion, the real success is to learn how to enjoy life, find a balance in constant movement and not be afraid of this routine. And I also really like the life credo: «Listen with your heart, write with your mind, design with your soul.» I’m glad that you, Daria, approached this interview so sensitively. Thank you for this work!
Very nice and heartfelt final issue. Thank you so much to Daria Skvortsova and Angelina Voitova for two years of warm and inspiring interviews. It was very valuable to get a «behind the scenes» look at the project and hear your wise advice for future interviewers. A beautiful passing of the baton is a worthy conclusion to your chapter. Good luck to the new host and to you in writing your theses! Thank you for your work.
Thank you so much for such a warm and inspiring article! It was a real pleasure to read about the creative journey behind the column and to see the ‘hosts’ taking the spotlight for once. This issue felt incredibly soulful and festive, perfectly capturing both the holiday spirit and the meaningful process of passing the torch to new hands.
As a student majoring in Information and Communication, I would love to see future articles explore more professional topics relevant to our field, such as: the role of AI in modern PR and advertising (how it’s changing the way we create content and interact with audiences). Crisis communication in the digital age (practical tips on managing brand reputation when things go viral). Personal branding for students (how to start building a professional identity while still at university). The ethics of storytelling (how brands can remain authentic and socially responsible in their campaigns).
Thank you again for your hard work and for building such a great community. Looking forward to more insightful content in the new year!