׉?4ׁB!בCטu׉׉ 7cassandra://YXL0TMIY7bh1SmtYLsNvxqcz_gsBq2GbZF-htRU4tTo`׉ 7cassandra://i6-jBzdBmBWA9gQcd8huWQfIn4rirFOeS97yiTnIp-wT`c׉ 7cassandra://UQ4tERlhqmL8RmC35NwbHm_hdYrvVM0HUgEfMTBkOwo X`̾׉ 7cassandra://SGDsOND0v4dQYWHZffZ-QkIohG6HVRF9MWUgeERX-uQ +e^͠$cu,\ƚטu׈frJ׈Ecu,\ƚ׉EIAUBG DAILY FALL 2022 OWL THE NEWS Vol. 4, Issue 1 Official Title Sponsor ׉ 7cassandra://UQ4tERlhqmL8RmC35NwbHm_hdYrvVM0HUgEfMTBkOwo X`̾cu,\ƚہcu,\ƚځ2בCטu׉׉ 7cassandra://BsdpEaXFYmTFbzfZtIJA4_bNordySuckoVU_jUWrcG8?`׉ 7cassandra://XzJGcyOyOZHdxCp6uICiJWtb2E_FxYUd2lZ51LOAOBExL`c׉ 7cassandra://eQpbz8NyWHIzdllw-f6CwxSy7wrMRUGOSjYAdESVVtw&`̾׉ 7cassandra://SLBpUNM6nl4FdCBbLMfm-B7tpU1e9OR2yMf7AKNeqAMS͠$cu,\ƚטu׉׉ 7cassandra://pXvWp-J5mKpezuwTMiA1_9EimEhJrjygzdIe4rW6JvY(`׉ 7cassandra://Ci_gixlHSIJWximHlq9EXItaxBBeFJiYr4zNhD12Hmcu2`c׉ 7cassandra://DUnCQSpDDR5wpdyI1CAT0jZG25gK4eza3bkr6fxUd-0%`̾׉ 7cassandra://jv2SM2QFNHlwd5Yc4GipgquI_JCxRD5xtMFHNTrDARI3 ͠$cu,\ƚ׉EA academic year, an unexpected problem emerged at the American University in Bulgaria (AUBG) – a lot of new students but not enough rooms in the Skaptopara Residence Halls for all of them to live in. A week before the start of orientation week, some new students were informed that there was no place left for them in the dormitories, even though all of them had already paid for housing on campus. That is why they had to stay in Hotel Merida – a hotel arranged by AUBG that is approximately 20 minutes away from the three Skaptos. An anonymous student had not even been informed of the unfortunate situation. “I was promised a place in Skaptopara 2, but unfortunately, on the day of my arrival, I was informed by the director of housing in AUBG that in my room there is already somebody accommodated,” they said. Students have not yet received a proper explanation of why this occurred and why AUBG neglected their housing promise. “I expected the hotel to be in good condition, but that was not the case. In addition, the hotel told us that we had to pay 250 leva per month to use AC and refrigerator,” the same anonymous student said. The interviewed students shared the opinion that this problem is unacceptable. This is the reason why most of them have moved away from Hotel Merida. At the moment, some of the students have returned to live in Skapto because a few rooms have become available. t the start of the Housing - Vasil Paskov Still, not all of them had the same luck, so they had to find and rent apartments in Blagoevgrad in a very short time – somet ending students over the summer between hig h s c h o o l thing that they did not expect when they were accepted to study at AUBG. In their opinion, AUBG should address the situation. On the other hand, AUBG g rad u a t io n and college enrollment. only suitable option with enough places for all the students left without AUBG housing. authorities see the issue from a different perspective. The Dean of Students, Sabina Wien, says the problem is more complex. ‘’We typically accept more H o we ve r , this year, the summer melt was unexpectedly low, which caused the number of students in the university to be higher than the number of beds in dormi tor ies . Th a t, c om bi n e d with other factors that cannot be controlled by AUBG, such as the pandemic, some late payments by students, and the low number of juniors and seniors who want to live offcampus, are the main reasons behind the unfortunate case. “We know that we could have students than there are places in Skapto,” she said. This is due to a variety of different factors, but the main one is the summer melt. Summer melt is a phenomenon defined as the drop-off of college-in 2 Fall 2022 | AUBG Daily done something better but we still do not know what,” Wien said. As for the hotel, the Residence Life Director, Ilko Drenkov, says they had no other solution. Hotel Merida was the ‘’My idea is to encourage juniors to find places and to restrict seniors from living in the Residence Halls,” he suggested. Dean Wien promised that AUBG would do everything possible if the same issue occurs again because AUBG wants as many students as possible to live on campus. Since the housing problem has not been solved yet, the next semester Erasmus students will be forced to live off-campus. She advised future AUBG students to submit their documents and make payments on time to ensure a place in Skapto in case a similar situation repeats in the future. The AUBG strategic plan 2022-2027 was approved in May and includes an increase of the student body by 50% in the next five years. However, the university still does not have an exact strategy for where these students are going to stay. Vasil Paskov for AUBG Daily ׉ 7cassandra://eQpbz8NyWHIzdllw-f6CwxSy7wrMRUGOSjYAdESVVtw&`̾cu,\ƚ׉EpThe Fall 2022 semester at AUBG became the beginning of a new minor in Creative Writing. It finally came into reality after staying in the mind of Professor Sean Homer, Chair of the Literature and Theatre Department. “I have been nudging my colleagues to open new courses over the last few years and then, last year, we took the idea of the minor to the curriculum committee,” Homer said. Prof. Homer’s departmental colleagues are creative writers in different fields. That is why they all received support for establishing the new minor. “There are many creative writers in the Literature department. Prof. Michael Cohen is a published short-story writer, Prof. Levchev and Prof. Terziev are both published poets, Prof. Nikolova is an essayist, and it seems so obvious that this is what we should do,” Homer said. As described on AUBG’s official website, “the Creative Writing minor is an interdisciplinary program appropriate for students who wish to study both the practical and theoretical aspects of creative writing.” It is more than that. “The Creative Writing minor is unique because of its range of different forms of writing,” Homer said. The minor offers courses in poetry, prose, screenwriting, and creative non-fiction. Business or Economics, you may end up writing. That is why it will benefit any kind of student.” “The minor Sean Homer. Photo courtesy of Sean Homer O R boosts skills that will be valuable for any employer in the sense that it will force students to focus more on their writing and become deeper readers, better editors, and communicators,” Cohen said. “I honestly believe that writing and reading deeply makes you a better human being. These make you more honest and self-reflective.” in creative writing Tsvetina Georgieva for AUBG Daily by Tsvetina Georgieva 3 Fall 2022 | AUBG Daily “I would say this minor is fulfilling because those writing courses will allow students to go deeper into themselves and think about how they view the world,” Michael Cohen, a professor from the Literature and Theatre Department, said. “This minor will force students to examine their lives more deeply.” On Thursday, Sept. 29, there was a celebration of the Creative Writing minor at All Stars, a bar in Blagoevgrad, where AUBG students’ vivid interest in the minor became evident. A number of them read poems and short stories shoulder to shoulder with their literature professors. “Being put in the exact same situation as someone who is established in the field of Literature, has done the hard work, and I is now celebrating their success definitely served as motivation for me. I am thankful to the whole Literature department for providing us with this opportunity. It was an experience to remember,” Brigita Andonova, a junior, said. Good writing skills apply not only to academic requirements but may also become an advantage for students and alumni when searching for a job. As Homer said, “Even if you graduated in Some students also find the benefits of the new minor. Zlatara Chakarova, a sophomore majoring in Literature, said, “Creative writing is a process of finding a key to the locked door of your inner world.” Brigita also said, “Writing is therapeutic, it helps you get to know yourself and make sense of the overly complicated world.” The minor may attract many potential applicants since creative writing exists in different forms within the scope of various fields and periods of time. “If you think about it, creative writing is everywhere, not just on paper. The ability to form language (creatively) is a skill that can b can be used in every sphere of our life,” Zla life,” Zlatara said. ׉ 7cassandra://DUnCQSpDDR5wpdyI1CAT0jZG25gK4eza3bkr6fxUd-0%`̾cu,\ƚ݁cu,\ƚ܁2בCטu׉׉ 7cassandra://Bl7myb-0zoOn23QtEz6nfIQ79ZtCKKSdLRtc21lIs9I`׉ 7cassandra://thumw9Zq13YSh2Lq22YCltdSdSjKpXbAVDFnnoVQQFAX`c׉ 7cassandra://mrDwaIrBKSG2ARSUnD2upTJxN-pE-N0iOHAHz4E-FuY`̾׉ 7cassandra://gtgH14Hf_gHHszewGq_s2ryes42mL0igCts9oYXesd0{2͠$cu,\ƚטu׉׉ 7cassandra://3KvXuC3-wn3quOr7qSZxf3EI-QkcpyiG5aLe7qcaw10`׉ 7cassandra://9e04uURpIGMXz6xErmLWOEoYbGW1DIm_v5ZDNTcVuJQQ`c׉ 7cassandra://oCDm65ooJZYQSY8iCLzayMoBpPfsSQNVtI-5j1E2Pfo`̾׉ 7cassandra://RNz3yxWyJiZ_nKEYFWJkoRJx65gKAqtm7-_QVILDgDIy*͠$cu,\ƚ׉E cCollege is an environment with lots of potential to overwhelm students. Simultaneously attending classes, completing assignments, and juggling real life, all while planning for the future, is a strain that many students uphold. These problems are exactly what inspired the program Me as a Student, a weekly meeting where American University in Bulgaria (AUBG) students speak with peer counselors to unravel the various woes of college life. The hour-long meetings are held every Monday at 6 p.m. in the Skaptopara I counseling center. The Me as a Student program is currently organized by peer counseling students at AUBG: freshman Chris Tenchev, senior Mitko Donev, and sophomore Nikola Naumovski. The program is supervised by AUBG’s psychologist, Rayna TuzlukovaVetsova. They first privately deliberate on relevant student issues, like timemanagement or procrastination, then on Mondays hold an open meeting followed by a general discussion. World Mental Health Day on Oct. 10 had the first glimpse of the program. The peer counselors arranged multiple activities to promote student wellbeing. There were events like a morning jog, art therapy, and a presentation from the peer counselors on a student-related issue. According to the hosts Chris and Mitko, the presentation went well, but the conversation held afterward was truly cathartic, leaving a lasting impression on the participants. This talk was the unintentional precursor of what would become Me as a Student. After the talk’s success, the counselors asked Tuzlukova-Vetsova to make the meetings regular, to which Chris said she was “totally down for it.” The peer counselors noticed that their efforts are comparable to the Psychology Club, the difference being its scale. Chris claims that peer counseling “puts a lot of emphasis on doing things personally.” Both groups have arranged similar activities, such as art therapy and yoga, but Me as a Student is a more intimate and regular gathering, having around six or seven participants each session. But this quantity is ideal, as it allows everyone to take part and relieve themselves through discussion. Mitko, also a Psychology Club member, said that the peer counseling team is working on being independent for Fall 2022 but could have the opportunity to collaborate in upcoming semesters. “From next semester on, they could be two entities helping each other because they’re both trying to achieve a very good goal,” he said, since both groups work to spread awareness on mental health and develop tactics to maintain it. M e S TU AUBG’s Latest 4 Fall 2022 | AUBG Daily Chris Tenchev. Photo courtesy of Chris Tenchev ׉ 7cassandra://mrDwaIrBKSG2ARSUnD2upTJxN-pE-N0iOHAHz4E-FuY`̾cu,\ƚ׉E as A D E NT Mental Health Initiative by Kaiden Myers Mitko is a senior studying Business Administration and Psychology. He learned about peer counseling in the Fall of 2019 when Ms.Tuzlukova-Vets ova sent a student-wide email introducing the program. Those interested would reply and have a brief informal interview on motivations to join. Chris, a first-year student also studying Business Administration and Psychology, became a peer counselor in the spring when Professor Harvey suggested the work after class. The Counseling Center’s Peer Education Program is a twoyear program where AUBG students can implement numerous outreach events and gain skills in counseling services as a peer counselor. Chris described Me as a Student as a “podcast without the mics.” Students get a chance to gather and decompress, releasing whatever strains come to mind in a constructive setting in hope to develop new habits. “Definitely talking with people is incredibly beneficial. We’re social creatures, at the end of the day, so we have that instinct.” On the topic of mental health, Chris mentioned people are prone to being closed off, settling for quick solutions or eliminating emotions instead of combating the problem. “A lot of people ignore their mental health. They focus too much on resilience and enduring pain rather than trying to fix things.” He said how mental and physical health is intertwined, crediting habits as a surefire way to improving overall wellbeing. “You need to find a way to live more healthily, more easily. Habits just goes on their own at some point, and you don’t even have to think about it. Mitko said that letting loose and talking about one’s issues, no matter the size, is a big takeaway from the program. “You feel calmer. I didn’t expect a regular talk at an hour and a half would have that effect,” he said. He also noticed how people’s free time is frequently alone watching Netflix or going to parties at Underground. “Having time for yourself is very important as well, but social activity should not be underestimated. Calm, regular meetings with several people just doing something is a lot better.” The peer counseling team plans on continuing Me as a Student throughout the semester and in the future. Mitko and Chris both believe that the program has huge potential for growth. “For everybody that’s out there suffering in some way, you’re not alone,” said Chris. “If you have an issue, you can always talk with us, the peer counseling team. Also, psychologists, licensed professionals. But sometimes somebody who’s completely unaware of your problem, someone you just met or that is close to you, that may be enough.” Mitko Donev. Photo courtesy of Mitko Donev 5 Fall 2022 | AUBG Daily ׉ 7cassandra://oCDm65ooJZYQSY8iCLzayMoBpPfsSQNVtI-5j1E2Pfo`̾cu,\ƚ߁cu,\ƚށ2בCטu׉׉ 7cassandra://vR1B-jHfNtIHTHEWdSJFviSR0UrtrSgtJeabzJinc5cs!`׉ 7cassandra://huJ5-Gj4T4R8fzPLI6CHI6A0L2_JKtXEXUrAnjrO1dw͍`c׉ 7cassandra://AErfM2wYLZVOpjE8Ziee9ZhyxwuAMue_lOAM6vNehSg+`̾׉ 7cassandra://aia7FpTyAwv8MOHcF83AXUQZKrXH5iT43LKHa85KM9Q8IF͠$cu,\ƚטu׉׉ 7cassandra://2PR7Rif8DLt25M8nIrENF42muUOyAoMyAR0NHv-wy-U/`׉ 7cassandra://i0YMe6q1NEq8A7zPOOEYqQHX1mpF1USmjkdUdLXrTEM͂ `c׉ 7cassandra://-_oZxp0n-VDaGURZhxQ8u94-kZuXe8uT-X61ZOO5Two(`̾׉ 7cassandra://3gPN3GcsvE_7NWwv25I3onMbkniI5fpz9tgAkbnTqC4ȅlL͠$cu,\ƚנcu,\ƚRl̈9ׁHhttps://www.aubg.edu/ׁ ׁ Ј׉E I Niko said nSeptember 2022, AUBG once again was listed among the leading institutions in that he would not take the second level of this class, as he feels that will learn he t h e Bulgarian University Rankings. In the ranking, AUBG shared first place with Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski in Journalism and Mass Communication (JMC). Moreover, AUBG decided to add Film and Theater Studies as a minor, which is mostly accompanied by JMC students. However, there have been concerns regarding the need for more equipment and professors among current students. One of the elective courses for Film and Theater studies is Intro to Cinematography. The course is designed to teach students how to create video journalism for various media platforms. Students work in two- or three-person teams to shoot and edit news stories, as well as master the fundamentals of camerawork, video and audio editing. When asked about the course, current AUBG student Maria Taushanova said: “I expected more practice with camera movement and to learn about technical stuff, even though I understand that we need to know some theory too.” Maria believes the course is still in the making and should be polished better. However, she revealed that working in teams and filming on the different topics in the class is still interesting. Niko Long, a JMC student, said: “The lack of equipment definitely affected our studies.” He also stated: “If there were things that I changed, it would be more equipment and better resources for teaching because we learn theory a lot and not so much practice,” 6 Fall 2022 | AUBG Daily LACKS Equipment as STUDENTS Dive into the class material on his own time. “Hristina Tsonkova, another JMC student, in said: the “I thought there were going to be less students class since there are not enough cameras for each of us.” Hristina pointed out that if only two professors can teach this class, it will be harder for JMC DEPARTMENT them to teach everyone, because having only one class is not enough to educate students on camera usage with step-by-step lessons. CINEMATOGRAPHY by Anusher Mahmadjonov “I am happy that we started doing post-production, where we can learn more about editing, which will allow us to practice our skills even outside the class,” she added. Hristina said that she would still take the second level of the class. “This is just an intro class, and in the second level, I believe we will learn even more, and hopefully, the problem with equipment will be solved as well,” said Hristina. ׉ 7cassandra://AErfM2wYLZVOpjE8Ziee9ZhyxwuAMue_lOAM6vNehSg+`̾cu,\ƚ׉EzT Radina Damyanova and Her Passion for Panitza Library he impressive collection of more than 125,000 print books, 560,000 e-books, 85,000 e-journals, and the quiet study environment have turned AUBG Panitza Library into one of the best places to prepare for midterms and final exams. Having such a key role in campus life, it is important to know who ensures everything is handled properly. processing stages of Radina takes care of what comes after a book is introduced into the library. “I am one of the people responsible for the scanning and the digitization process of books and articles in Panitza Library.” However, Radina’s favorite task is the creation of all the posters and infographics spread throughout the library floors. “The most fun activity for me is doing the designs, collecting the information, and presenting it in an engaging way,” she shared. When talking about the move to the first fully on-ground semester, since the beginning of the pandemic, Radina noted that she has noticed a positive effect on the library. AUBG Panitza Library. Photo from https://www.aubg.edu/ Radina Damyanova is one of those people. She has been working at Panitza Library since 2018. “I not only enjoy taking care of the books but also looking after all this information. It keeps me motivated,” she shared when asked about what the library means to her. Radina is currently studying for a librarian degree. Her dissertation is on the topic of social media in academic libraries. “It is a rather unusual topic, especially in Bulgaria; that’s why I chose it,” she added. Her interest in the sphere is also the reason behind being one of the people responsible for the social media profiles of the library. “We started the Instagram account at the beginning of the Fall 2021 semester. We try to do more engaging posts, including reels and memes. We want to follow the trends,” she said. Radina also shared that the main reason for creating the Instagram account is the low engagement of students with Facebook. She added that she and her colleagues are fully aware that current students prefer different social media platforms, such as TikTok and Instagram. This is how the idea of creating the library’s Instagram profile came into consideration. “I am very happy that the feedback has been positive, and we have plans to continue developing the account.” While working at a library may seem like a straightforward job, it turns out that this is not the case. “I like that we don’t have a certain daily routine. Yes, when I have a morning shift, I always open all the windows, go down to the basement and turn on the moisture absorbers, after which I check my email for urgent requests. Other than that, every day is different,” she explained after welcoming a student to the library with a warm smile. In a library as significant as the one on campus, there is always something important happening behind the scenes. Currently, the library’s storage is going through an expansion to have more open space for new books. “This is the thing with priority at the moment, so I will do other tasks when we finish with the expansion,” Radina explained. Introducing new books into the library collection is no easy job. First, a librarian has to research what type of book would be suitable for the studies and interests of the current students. After ordering the book, another librarian has to go through the process of entering its information into the library catalog. Finally, before being displayed, the book gets a security tag, preventing it from being taken out of the library by mistake. “I am very happy that there are so many students using the library. I hope this continues to be the situation. Honestly, this is the first time I have seen so many people here since I started working at AUBG. Keep it up, guys!” Radina at her desk in Panitza Library. Borislav Bochev for AUBG Daily 7 Fall 2022 | AUBG Daily ׉ 7cassandra://-_oZxp0n-VDaGURZhxQ8u94-kZuXe8uT-X61ZOO5Two(`̾cu,\ƚcu,\ƚ2בCטu׉׉ 7cassandra://xUlpGfJe3H8inTyx3yptxustpSBFbCpTy-wUeZsTED0Z~`׉ 7cassandra://UvSHQ-31mHGJkMbNQsFiWpLwUnveLcf-xCyCUndJIRMWr`c׉ 7cassandra://SxJUPWXvYv2rsSSWvOEBRwY-5-FErVDMlMrlMfiR7rQy`̾׉ 7cassandra://rCpXQ6OUVPk6kHdXJF0ilMMaR8yimPR0WQ1syTs1i747͘T͠$cu,\ƚטu׉׉ 7cassandra://fOd64WD6yD4tLYjmgWr--zpG5ta3SCSv0DATa03v48881`׉ 7cassandra://wePENru4_At596pLwuy_0ofyy3TPotw7OTOqrx78hVA͒`c׉ 7cassandra://drh7C64_IL2FUDfL1meQDdxJsZUTTJqYbjL1xxaiRCI+`̾׉ 7cassandra://m9pz4T--AOu_BacSnN6mA-1VQgfPts6ruGyy8rg4zbQ\͠$cu,\ƚ׉EErasmus Student Network AUBG: TAKE TWO by Ivelina Markova If you have no idea what ESN (Erasmus Student Network) is, you are not alone. Many learn about its existence only after starting their own exchange program. ESN is an independent non-governmental student organization that recognizes the value of international education and intercultural understanding, and works to increase it on a local, national, and international level. The main principle of the organization – Students Helping Students (SHS) – is based on the cooperation between full-time students at the host institution and incoming Erasmus students. 8 Fall 2022 | AUBG Daily This cooperation is, above all, driven by the Erasmus+ Buddy System. To put it simply, a buddy is a first friend in a new environment. The buddies (local students) voluntarily use their knowledge and experience to provide incoming students with practical assistance and basic academic guidance. In addition, they help with events, activities, and trips, organized by ESN members to facilitate social integration. Starting and developing such a buddy system at AUBG has the potential to prevent or at least reduce the initial discomfort many Erasmus students experience upon arrival. Angela Milano from the University of Naples Federico II, in Italy, who chose AUBG for her Fall 2021 exchange semester, shared: “Before coming to AUBG, I didn’t know anyone, not even the other Italian (Michela). This made everything more difficult, starting from zero. Honestly, in the beginning, I noticed a lot of detachment from my culture and I didn’t feel at home. Then, as the days went by, I also began to feel physical discomfort.” ׉ 7cassandra://SxJUPWXvYv2rsSSWvOEBRwY-5-FErVDMlMrlMfiR7rQy`̾cu,\ƚ׉E Yet, ESN AUBG will still be useful because there will always be people who need more support in the adaptation process than others. From the perspective of full-time AUBG students, ESN further enhances their chances of experiencing various cultures, creating memories, and building an international network of life-long connections. Erasmus, and ESN in particular, cuts the distance between countries from Eastern and Western Europe in socio-cultural aspects such as youth development and active citizenship, mobility and diversity. Angela Milano (upper-left) during the Fall 2021 AUBG Orientation week. Photo courtesy of Angela Milano. Angela received great support and advice from the one-person AUBG Erasmus office, namely Mariya Handzhiyska, and with time “met so many guys who had also been catapulted into a totally foreign context.” Although Angela eventually grew to love her time at AUBG, an effective ESN could have saved her a lot of negative emotions and lowered the pressure exerted on the overburdened Erasmus office. Having a buddy to talk to and ask questions can make incomings calmer, more prepared, and confident prior to the start of the semester. ESN offers benefits not only to exchange students, but also to local students. Sven Bögel from the University of Augsburg, in Germany, joined his home university’s ESN section inspired by his academic year at AUBG. Members of ESN Augsburg refer to their involvement in the organization as “doing Erasmus at home.” Sven’s university has more than 20,000 students, so in his eyes, finding friends and other Erasmus people there is sometimes very difficult. AUBG is much smaller and does not receive that many exchange students (for reference, the number of Erasmus and ISEP students altogether for the current Fall 2022 semester at AUBG is 45). Incomings meet each other during orientation week and start doing their own thing without much external intervention. “It creates a sense of social responsibility and community, thus bringing young Europeans closer and enhancing the sense of European identity,” former National Secretary of ESN Bulgaria Sava Dikov said. This view is supported by Margaritis Schinas, Vice-President of the European Commission, who noted the importance of Erasmus during the celebration of the Erasmus+ Program’s 35th anniversary back in September: “Because if the Euro is Europe’s wallet and Schengen is Europe’s passport, or rather non-passport, then Erasmus is Europe’s soul.” Sava Dikov representing ESN Bulgaria at an international ESN event. Photo courtesy of ESN Bulgaria. Adjusting ESN to the AUBG context will nourish this soul while student inclusion will keep showering it with ingenuity, enthusiasm, and hope for the future. Photo courtesy of ESN 9 Fall 2022 | AUBG Daily ׉ 7cassandra://drh7C64_IL2FUDfL1meQDdxJsZUTTJqYbjL1xxaiRCI+`̾cu,\ƚcu,\ƚ2בCטu׉׉ 7cassandra://WOXeFVqmFRHNCaX24uFBx-6kqUzoR4TSs2Nj6wayFCUH`׉ 7cassandra://7_bYbdbFCHKK6oi8hRQBUT5aj6361z7okaOMP4Kncfs͌+`c׉ 7cassandra://KB1x_vgFEY3wmgFTbpZ1TlO_bC0x6MKLOrB-UKR4EWA*|`̾׉ 7cassandra://XQ3La8Qh-zIfkewrrsAtuzBo0WejvozQhq0lnC7VTFw ! n͠$cu,\ƚטu׉׉ 7cassandra://aaDtJQwLb5utrRmTSIq3SQMoak2go0K-ZYCnRHMzANs,7`׉ 7cassandra://ctGWgWoCwXegVMLBNLCs_qcCFunXaj_fr6DjpNcuQFc{}`c׉ 7cassandra://cvXM7PzfdYRYD23MYcdLP5vdREBGkzNsKZR_t6CKNgw%`̾׉ 7cassandra://7-JTDpdT8L7Xsnet3v-U6RziNO0EWKK4_LHONmLYjRg!P͠$cu,\ƛ׉E qThe M ega Reunion last happened in 2019 and could not take place for the next two years because of the pandemic. On Sept. 17, 2022, the American University in Bulgaria (AUBG) alumni finally Clubs, sports, gathered for a day of events at ABF. However, enjoying Skapto Burgers, cocktails and festivities was not the main reason why the alumni came to the Mega Reunion. “This is why we are here — sentimental reasons,” said Petar Svarc, class of 2002. “Nobody is coming here because they’re expecting to land a business deal or find a new career. We come here just to see each other and have fun, and see what’s going on because we don’t really know. And this is something we didn’t have in our time. We didn’t have such a big alumni community in place.” mu sic, studying — there’s so much to do at A UB G, and not so much time to manage everything. “It’s a very condensed environment both in terms of space and time,” said Petar. “So many people in a very small area doing many different things. And (the environment) just keeps you busy, keeps you active, keeps you engaged.” In this environment, he said, you learn not to underestimate anyone. “Very quickly you’ll learn that oftentimes you’re wrong. And you really learn to value people for what they are, and this, I think, is quite unique for AUBG.” Since 2002, Petar said he has been hearing: “After this generation graduates, it’s going to be a completely different university, all the cool people are graduating.” However, this is not the case. Petar said that he sees other cool, smart and active students joining the university every year. Petar Svarc at the AUBG Cafe. Dasha Dolgopolova for AUBG Daily 10 Fall 2022 | AUBG Daily “Time, I think, it acts like a filter, like water going through sand. You filter out the people that are most Vladimir Borachev next to a tree he planted in 1995. Dasha Dolgopolova for AUBG Daily important to you. Sometimes, you surprise yourself, and they surprise you. As time passes by, you understand better what’s important and what’s not. It is definitely something that becomes very vivid as time passes by.” Vladimir Borachev, class of 1995, said he misses the atmosphere of AUBG where you could network with students and professors, and engage in activities. He used to be the captain of the baseball team back in his day. The facilities of the university are very different from when Vladimir studied here. There were no Skaptopara dormitories, Panitza Library, or sports hall. The students used to live in Hilltop and Bistritsa residence halls, and the Volga hotel which were located in different parts of Blagoevgrad. ׉ 7cassandra://KB1x_vgFEY3wmgFTbpZ1TlO_bC0x6MKLOrB-UKR4EWA*|`̾cu,\ƚ׉E Another thing that changed over the years, Vladimir said, is the people. can come to alumni events each “So, in a way, people are different, but at the same time, they are the same. I see a lot of positive faces, people are happy to be here. They’re smiling, communicating, talking. And I think this is one of the best things AUBG can do — to support people to become better in terms of understanding other people, other cultures, other religions and to communicate better with other people.” Bozhana Marinova reminisced about being a counselor at the AUBG Summer Camp. She said it was one of her best memories during her studies. Bozhana graduated in 2021 and is now working; she misses meeting new people, talking, and hanging out with them. “Also, I miss the classes because we did very practical stuff. We were interviewing people, doing marketing projects — everything! I was playing the harp, and I was involved in clubs, so it was really dynamic. I miss the people and the dynamics.” Bozhana Marinova and Christopher-Joseph R. Dean, class of 2016, at the AUBG Cafe. Dasha Dolgopolova for AUBG Daily While in university, students feel enormous pressure from everything they need to do. Vessela Ivanova, class of 2013, felt the same during her time at AUBG. She said, in retrospect, that the university times were the most relaxed — that being together with your peers is what creates memories that will stay for years to come. “Meeting life-long friends that you year with. Or, in our case, actually marry them,” said Vessela. She and her husband, Panayot Ivanov, met at Radio AURA parties back in 2010, and are now married. Ivan Bardarov, Vessela and Panayot’s classmate and best man at their wedding, said he misses the community. “When you are in here, you’re a part of a big community, and you always have friends and it’s easy to do things whatever your interests are, which is much harder when you’re outside of the university and you have a job. The more you do, the better your overall experience with the university.” Anastas Pushkarov, class of 2015, also says that the AUBG community and extra activities were the best parts of AUBG. “It gave us the spark to try out some hobbies that turned into something we started to do professionally.” Anastas encourages students to have a go at as many things as possible to see what suits them best. Ivan Bardarov, Vessela Ivanova, Anastas Pushkarov, Snezhana Boyadzhieva, and Panayot Ivanov at the AUBG Cafe. Dasha Dolgopolova for AUBG Daily 11 Fall 2022 | AUBG Daily ׉ 7cassandra://cvXM7PzfdYRYD23MYcdLP5vdREBGkzNsKZR_t6CKNgw%`̾cu,\ƚcu,\ƚ2בCטu׉׉ 7cassandra://2_O0MUl3koNf7sWo7P-WVSIJ11C7EcxNRaTvMO1Kbawe`׉ 7cassandra://XVc98ERRGnSS0pJFQRrqx4QorFKeweOvXIFp5BhEvVI;r`c׉ 7cassandra://wwf6CFF3MZDihC6Kfrh06EqIEogpkatKHiuRUPxIH0o`̾׉ 7cassandra://jmeyx1oVTLln_57xYkzzvPhUVp5qONFpnrMoOGLHdXM#͠$cu,\ƛטu׉׉ 7cassandra://06shTtO0-Zpx-wq58K04WK1XMNous-DVkR9CMeNkLSQn`׉ 7cassandra://BCgBr9Z3QmNR0alKZwvC477eWiHZQfYGkRprhgijcT0~K`c׉ 7cassandra://aWBjMXaYGVBmLzjbBTLJWgyJnfrrBl2QRBeByejrqlo$`̾׉ 7cassandra://aSqlUMMNow8aXlpIzwqkCDjTRRuKdHD9ODVerFsJevY$X͠$cu,\ƛ׉E?4 POS(T)RUTH, Debate Club, Toastmasters, Orators and Comedians Club (TTOC), and PHI Club are four of the new clubs that the Student Government recognized for the new academic year. The members of the new clubs discuss what they are promising to AUBG students, and how they are dealing with certain challenges. 12 Fall 2022 | AUBG Daily by Eka Iakobadze POS(T)RUTH Kalina, a vice president of the club, said that the name POS(T)RUTH combines Political Science and the concept of presenting the truth, which is the main agenda of the club. Photo courtesy of POS[T]RUTH SOCIETY ׉ 7cassandra://wwf6CFF3MZDihC6Kfrh06EqIEogpkatKHiuRUPxIH0o`̾cu,\ƚ׉E“It is a very big project in our heads, but for now we are starting small,” Kalina said. The club will be writing articles about social issues, economic analyses and historical backgrounds of different countries. “We will be focusing on everything that is not the US or the West, generally speaking,” Kalina added. PHI Club The president of the PHI Club, Suela Carkaxhija, talked about the name of the Fady, who is a member of POS(T)RUTH, said: “We want to approach this from multiple perspectives.” He further explained that the club is striving to find open-minded and diverse people, who are willing to talk about various important social issues. The club currently has 20 members. “The majority of our members are not from Bulgaria, so they are able to elaborate on how different systems work,” Kalina said. Fady and Kalina discussed how they intend to dive deeper into a wide variety of topics. “On a surface level, it may seem like we are doing JMC or POS-related activities, but we want to make this our own. We just found what other clubs were lacking and wanted to fill that void,” Kalina said. Like every other club, POS(T)RUTH has also faced some challenges. “Funding is honestly not a big issue for us,” Kalina said. “We have this massive idea that we are gradually adding up to. We are eager to find tangible ways to make this a reality. This can be challenging at times,” Kalina added. “We want to make complex things interesting,” Kalina said. She discussed the importance of talking about political and social situations in order to genuinely understand them. The club strives to go beyond AUBG too. “Our president has this amazing idea to collaborate with social activism in Blagoevgrad and around the country. We want to visit high schools, hold presentations and workshops,” Kalina said. Kalina thinks that young people should be educated and informed about the importance of voting, political issues, and their consequences. Debate Club Ani Kovacheva, the president of the Debate Club, is a freshman from Bulgaria. She has been in competitive debating for about two years now. “The main objective of the Debate Club is to gather people who are enthusiastic about debating, about improving their skills and learning more,” Ani said. club. “We chose the name with a powerful connotation. It means to obtain balance, to have the golden ratio between things.” Suela said that the club aims to promote having the balance between having fun activities on campus and studying. Photo courtesy of Ani Kovacheva She said that debating is a very educational activity, which gives you opportunities to expand your horizon in a very engaging way. Gabriela Stefanova, who is the vice-president of the club, said, “We are planning to organize three events in the following semester: AUBG insider – a competition which will be open to everyone at AUBG to participate in; then we want to organize AUBG Debate Open which is an international competition online; and debate academy for AUBG students as well as high school students who are interested in debating.” “We want to hold some workshops on topics such as public speaking and generally, how to present better,” Gabriela added. The members of the club said they were impressed with the freshmen: “We owe a lot to new students. We have a great team, great people,” Gabriela said. When the Debate Club first applied for the club recognition, they had an initial list of 26 people, but after the first open meeting, more than 30 students showed interest. “Currently, we are holding an application process for people we have not managed to reach until now,” Gabriela added. Anton Perederii, the treasurer of the Debate Club, talked about the difficulties that the club faces. “We have to think about finding sponsors, managing and rationing the budget, which is pretty limited.” “First we need the reputation and then we will hopefully get more funding and support,” he added. “Competitive, engaging, and open” - Ani, Gabriella and Anton describe the Debate Club in these three adjectives. Photo courtesy of PHI Club “Our main objective is to build a network and create friendly and open discussions,” she said. PHI Club is planning to be active this semester. “We are planning to do three ‘CofPHIs’, an event where any AUBG student or faculty member can participate and share their opinions,” Suela said. Each ‘CofPHI’ event will have a specific topic and the attendants will be able to have interesting and thought-provoking discussions. At the moment, the club has 16 members. Suela said that reaching students has been tricky. “We are aware that there are many students who have yet to find out about our club, so we are actively working on building a connection with the audience.” Yet, Suela is optimistic about the future of the club. “I see more people knowing about us and more people willing to speak about social issues.” Suela described the members of the club as diverse and the club itself as ‘critical and friendly.’ 13 Fall 2022 | AUBG Daily ׉ 7cassandra://aWBjMXaYGVBmLzjbBTLJWgyJnfrrBl2QRBeByejrqlo$`̾cu,\ƚcu,\ƚ2בCטu׉׉ 7cassandra://bjquqDKxoyv3HTKmYUCkYZ2OXCpsd8x4LkKXa1IIwGY`׉ 7cassandra://iaD24wsN6JHVtG7cDLeiKbyavxZmDpOm8-nnlBNzuvI?1`c׉ 7cassandra://utSDHc1PMNXq3Ofoa9JYnP63gWl6IC6CVSwKRtCbcQA`̾׉ 7cassandra://PjVZNBve-pzxIalK7LWRw0LggvNjYWMRgw6CDgk9gUYvZ͠#cu,\ƛטu׉׉ 7cassandra://8N1t_Xxx0wb6AqbzpD7mg54oyt0TodEDFRz_e06-ueo `׉ 7cassandra://QROdW2GqpPx-LCCivGZWOW8s-ccd0klj51oUn7xAIwox`c׉ 7cassandra://3wEpiDz5LzMosUnZFDalR_QVqaSEJES96JPXu7wTATE+`̾׉ 7cassandra://eUt3SdH3botVog4tl6MU8tRL8dzxzPTUc00EdFDGhnIqr͠#cu,\ƛ׉EOwl-Quiz 1. Where do you meet with your friends? a) In Under, Goa, the Face, Val b) In the library c) In The Hungry Griffin Cafe d) In your room 2. You hear someone calling for help: What do you do? a) Call Daskalov b) Look for the RAs c) Help them d) Pretend you do not hear anything 3.What brings you the most joy? a) The AUBG parties b) The Movie nights c) The Xaia hiking trips d) Lectures with favorite professors 4. What scares you the most? a) That I will not have time to hang out with my friends b) Poor grades c) Bad roommates d) The dogs on campus 5. You are falling in love. What do you do? a) Ask them to go to disco parties together b) Do everything you can to show your love c) Ask them to go out d) Play it cool 6. Your parents call and say they are coming to visit. What do you do? a) Tell your parents to bring you food b) Clean up the room c) Ask them if they can stay forever d) You don’t pick up; you never answer the phone 7. You have a tough exam coming up. What’s your approach? a) You cram the night before b) Go to your favorite study spot c) Make a group and study together d) Work alone in your room 8. From where do you get the campus news? a) Social media b) AUBG Compass c) AUBG Daily d) Gossip 14 Fall 2022 | AUBG Daily If you have more A) answers, you are a night owl. You enjoy partying and you have visited way too many times Daskalov. If you have more B) answers, you are a persistent owl. You are hard-working and want to perform best in both AUBG and life. If you have more C) answers, you are a social owl. You like being surrounded by friends and cannot stand being in bad company. If you have more D) answers, you are an observer owl. You do not share much but keep it to yourself. ׉ 7cassandra://utSDHc1PMNXq3Ofoa9JYnP63gWl6IC6CVSwKRtCbcQA`̾cu,\ƚ׉EPresidents Editor-inChief Producer Head of Marketing Head of Sponsorhip Layout Design by Kristiana Krasteva Cover/ Illustration by Dulamsuren Amarsanaa 15 Fall 2022 | AUBG Daily Editors Sponsorship Marketing Reporters ׉ 7cassandra://3wEpiDz5LzMosUnZFDalR_QVqaSEJES96JPXu7wTATE+`̾cu,\ƚcu,\ƚ2בCטu׉׉ 7cassandra://CbKnmVZBOV7MIg209H8AeJUdUgNKhNmbxt3iadmP6A8t`׉ 7cassandra://aFim4ftoBRP4RYrUPA15rAwr5KQqGN17-tqLgfZpZoYg`c׉ 7cassandra://BK5pCDnnWGzPnCORe6HJRCR8B6fPmzdbYhpyT5D1J9s"7`̾׉ 7cassandra://1ddW1hbwyHWvDnYAhJR449b-C7kFhgEFy8_ejE_teCo [͠$cu,\ƛ ׉EDear readers, Yet another semester filled with hard work, hardships, and excitement has passed during our stay at AUBG. I am more than delighted with the immense growth of the AUBG Daily team during this semester, with the number of members nearly doubling compared to last year. I am offering my never-ending thanks to my team of brave reporters and witty editors, the creative marketing team, and the savvy sponsorship team, for without them, this issue wouldn’t have been possible. Your passion, diligence, and curiosity never ceased to inspire. But that was all for you, dear readers. You, the AUBG community, were the ones who asked, the ones who searched, the ones who strived to be better and never disappointed. It has been our duty and an honor to discover the unknown, report the truth, and inform our community about the topics of importance we all express interest in. In this newspaper, we hope to have provided you with an objective and truthful recap of the unforgettable Fall 2022 semester. Be curious, stay informed, and enjoy the read! Yours sincerely, Bianca Deyanova, Editor-in-Chief 16 Fall 2022 | AUBG Daily Subscribe to our newsletter here: ׉ 7cassandra://BK5pCDnnWGzPnCORe6HJRCR8B6fPmzdbYhpyT5D1J9s"7`̾cu,\ƚ׈Ecu,\ƚcu,\ƚ2,AUBG Daily Fall 2022 IssueAUBG Daily Fall 2022 Issuecu}frJ9