Tuesday 9 October 2012

Interview by Natasha Safina


The subject of my interview is difficulties that students of Russian colleges have to overcome: reaction of the society to college students, problems of finances, the continuation of education and troubles in job placement and combining it with study.
 I met a girl Yana, a  senior college student, at a public garden near the Municipal- Building College.  
M:  How did you get into college?
Y:  I left school and entered the TSU, the faculty of architecture. But I’ve failed to pass an exam and didn’t have enough money to slip it to the teacher, so I was expelled. I didn’t feel eager to pass EGE again, that’s why I went to college. As I was always interested in computer science, I choose the specialty based on programming. I find it quite interesting.
M: How many people study programming with you?
Y:  We are a group of 15.  But among them there are only 3 adequate and clever people, who came to learn something new.
M: What are the rest doing?
Y: I don’t know. They skip lessons and aren’t interested inget taking knowledge of computers. They do all that only because they need a diploma. It is the kind of social stereotype, that you should have a diploma, even if you are stupid. The paper solves problems.
M: You’ve mentioned a social prejudice about diploma. But don’t you know about another one concerning Russian college students? What is your attitude to it?
Y: I’ve heard of course. I had to face up problems with my parents and some friends when I entered college. Russia is the only country, where there is such an attitude to College education. For example, in England they respect college student, as it is really hard to enter the college, and the fee should be paid. But in our country… Partly, that stereotype is the truth, as I mentioned, almost all my group is stupid, but there is always the others, who get in college not because of sudden circumstances.
M: I see what you mean. How would you solve that problem, if you could?
Y: Maybe, It will be useful to toughen the rules of entering college, so not all the people will get there. Secondly, I daresay, we should ruin the myth of folly college student. Of course it can be done only with the help of the government by means of a new social and economical policy.
M:  You told the idea on the whole. So, what will be the first thing you’ll do?
Y: I’ll raise the scholarship. 400 rubles per month sounds hilarious, doesn’t it? And it is enough neither to buy food nor to party at the club.
M:  The money rules the world. Somehow you overlived that lack of scholarship, and now you are a senior college student. The question is: What does usually happen to students after the graduation from college?The subject of my interview is difficulties that students of Russian colleges have to overcome: reaction of the society to college students, problems of finances, the continuation of education and troubles in job placement and combining it with study.
 I met a girl Yana, a college senior student, at public garden near the Municipal- Building College.
Me:  Hello! My name is Natasha and you?
Yana: I’m Yana.
Me: I’d like to ask you some questions about the College you study at.
Y: You’re welcome.
M: So the question is quite simple: How did you get into college?
Y:  I left school and entered the TSU, the faculty of architecture. But I’ve failed to pass an exam and didn’t have enough money to slip it to the teacher, so I was expelled. I didn’t feel eager to pass EGE again, that’s why I went to the college. As I was always interested in computer science, I choose the specialty based on programming. I find it quite interesting.
M: How many people study programming with you?
Y:  We are a group of 15.  But among them there are only 3 adequate and clever people, who came to know something new.
M: What are the rest doing?
Y: I don’t know. They skip lessons and aren’t interested in taking knowledge of computers. They do all that only because they need a diploma. It is the kind of social stereotype, that you should have a diploma, even if you are stupid. The paper solves problems.
M: You’ve mentioned a social prejudice about diploma. But don’t you know about another one concerning Russian college student? What is your attitude to it?
Y: I’ve heard of course. I had to face up problems with my parents and some friends when I entered college. Russia is the only country, where there is such an attitude to College education. For example, in England they respect college student, as it is really hard to enter the college, and the fee should be paid. But in our country… Partly, that stereotype is the truth, as I mentioned, almost all my group is stupid, but there is always the others, who get in college not because of sudden circumstances.
M: I see what you mean. How would you solve that problem, if you could?
Y: Maybe, It will be useful to toughen the rules of entering college, so not all the people will get there. Secondly, I daresay, we should ruin the myth of folly college student. Of course it can be done only with the help of the government by means of a new social and economical policy.
M:  You told the idea on the whole. So, what will be the first thing you’ll do?
Y: I’ll raise the scholarship. 400 rubles per month sounds hilarious, doesn’t it? And it is enough neither to buy food nor to party at the club.
M:  The money rules the world. Somehow you overlived that lack of scholarship, and now you are a senior college student. The question is: What does usually happen to students after the graduation from college?

Visual writing task by Margarita Glinskaya


People people people…
Everywhere. And this smell… It smells like some machine oil or something like that.
People and the smell, People and the smell…
Everything is moving. Two crowds of people – one is going down the stairs and the other is up. The crowds are black with several bright spots. A fat woman sitting next to me is speaking on her mobile phone but I can hear nothing, literally nothing but this sound. This particular sound. The fat woman’s gone. Now it’s a middle-aged blonde is making some notes right next to me. She looks very busy.
Постовой полицейский, подойдите…
The walls are massive and white. The ground is partly black. I bet no one pays attention to it. The walls are divided into several parts and each part has a memorial in honor to soldiers of the Second World War.
I look strange, don’t I? sitting in probably one of the busiest laces ever and being in no hurry. Just writing something down. Awkward, right?
This sound again. The woman in uniform passes carrying some cleaning stuff which looks like a big white box with lots of brushes and wheels.
A mustached fashionable man in red T-shirt and blue jeans is staring at me. I look strange, without any doubt.
Now some foreign man wearing jeans, black shoes, white socks and white anorak with an enormous red sign ‘Russia’ on it  not only sitting next to me but speaking some language I do not know.  The man in grin T-shirt with earphones is displeased. I’ve got such a look from him.
Meanwhile, the foreigner suddenly started to speak Russian. Probably, it is some foreign magic.
Two curled girls just met. They’re standing right in the middle of the crowd and having a small talk. The crowd is not happy with them. But it’s not for long. One kisses good-bye another and leaves. She is in a hurry. Everyone seems to be in a hurry. This man carrying two big chequered bags, the blondie wearing a…
A minute silence s broken by a strong cry. Two people are shouting so loud that the howling sound which already became familiar is broken too. Loud busy people.
I cannot feel the smell already. Got used to it probably.
The black crowed became bigger. Bigger and busier.  The sound came into my mind completely and everything is like one big grey spot. The big grey spot which is producing probably the most annoying sound ever.  I have never liked underground.

Interview by Oksana Pavlikova


Луна встала в Юпитере и я решила,наконец, взять интервью у студента факультета ИСиГН, организатора дискуссионного клуба "Мнение", капитана футбольной команды факультета и невероятно задушевного собеседника Дмитрия Базаева.

О. Привет! Ты уже настроен на общение?
Д.Б. Привет, Оксан! Конечно настроен. Ты ведь знаешь , какой я общительный.
О. И разговорчивый,замечу к сведению наших читателей. Итак, Дим, скажи твой выбор сразу пал на педуниверстет или были еще какие-либо альтернативы?
Д.Б. Родители заканчивали "политех", но по какому-то внутреннему предубеждению мне это заведение не по душе и я его не рассматривал.
О. А Москва?
Д.Б. Знаешь,я не хотел покидать этот город. Здесь все-таки мои родители и сложившийся круг общения.
О. А факультет ты выбрал так же, ссылаясь на внутренние ощущения?
Д.Б. Вообще я подавал документы на несколько факультетов. Первым по приоритету я ставил исторический, но не прошел туда. Судьба меня забросила на ФИСиГН, чему я безгранично рад.
О. Все как-то случайно...И специальность?
Д.Б. Получается так,но специальность я выбрал, исходя уже из личного интереса.
О. Дим,а вот сейчас, по истечению времени, ты можешь подкрепить свой интерес перспективой работы в сфере молодежной политике?
Д.Б. Пока учусь и мне все нравится. Меня привлекает внеучебная работа в форме семинаров, конференций, форумов. Я бы хотел работать по специальности,хотя, признаюсь, есть планы в научной деятельности в стенах университета.
О. Неожиданно для молодого человека. Научная деятельность мало кого сейчас привлекает. А студенчество тебя чем привлекает?
Д.Б. Студенческая жизнь весьма обширна и многогранна. Спроси любого старшекурсника.
О. Только старшекурсника?
Д.Б. (Улыбается)Нет, еще и активных ребят,будь они с первого или со второго курса. Они тебе расскажут про тропу, КВН, маскарад, концерты, не так давно запущенный проект ДК "Мнение".На факультете очень много возможностей и интересных людей.
О. Вот ты один из самых активных ребят нашего факультета. Это все-таки личное достижение или влияние факультета, университета?
Д.Б. Я и в школе был не в последних списках в этом плане. Но здесь все как-то иначе. Тебя заинтересовывают, иногда просто приходит преподаватель и говорит,что ты должен принять участие в конференции. И ты делаешь. Не ожидая даже таких личностных метаморфоз. Я, например, и не думал раньше о науке, а вот сейчас ...
О. А проект ДК "Мнение"- это инициатива твоя или преподаватель пришел и сказал?
Д.Б. Инициатива эта принадлежит мне и моим одногруппникам, так сказать, коллегам по цеху. Мне захотелось создать на факультете некую арену для обсуждения различных вопросов, интересующих студентов и молодежь. Чтобы это не на парах, среди людей, которым возможно и не интересна эта тема, а в круге заинтресованных лиц.
О. И ты нашел поддержку среди ребят? Оказалась ли эта идея актуальной?
Д.Б. Как мне кажется, последнее заседание вызвало глубокий интерес. Притом, что участие принимают и преподаватели нашего факультета. Остается надеяться, что дальнейшее функционирование клуба будет таким же успешным.
О. Надеяться и делать!
Д.Б. Безусловно! Под лежачий камень, как известно...
О. А первокурсники? Они ведь точно так же сделали выбор, основываясь на симпатиях и случайности.
Д.Б. Думаю,да. После 11 класса как-то не серьезно, не осознанно относишься к дальнейшему выбору. Да и государство не создает условий для этой самой осознанности.
О. Я знаю, что тема государства для тебя животрепещущая,поэтому оставим ее.
Д.Б. (смеется)
О. И видишь ли ты в них продолжение своих идей?Или развитие новых?
Д.Б. Они активны, умны, а главное дружные! Я наблюдал за ними на игре-спортакиаде-так держать! С ними можно много идей реализовать.