The Beginning of the AUBG Journey

Entering a new place full of people from all over the world who will be your colleagues for the next four years of your life can evoke a whirlwind of emotions. As a newcomer, stepping onto the vibrant AUBG campus, Anna Kremenlieva felt like embarking on a thrilling adventure into the unknown. Luckily for her, the first week was not as scary as she thought it would be.

“Orientation week was really helpful to me, because sometimes when you are changing environments, you think you are the only one going through tough emotions and tough times. However, when you are put into a group with other students and you share experiences with them, you can see that you are not the only one who feels that way,” she said.

She explained that the first couple of weeks were fun and she did not feel homesick, unlike many other students.

Nikolay Pavlov, currently a junior at AUBG, was one of those people. On top of that, he experienced a “cultural shock” when he first set foot here.

“The biggest challenge was definitely getting used to the living environment because even though I was born here in Bulgaria, I was raised in the United States where many things were different,” Nikolay shared. He also mentioned that joining two clubs in his freshman year unlocked the doors to new horizons of friendships.

Brigita Andonova, a senior at the university, shared a similar viewpoint regarding fitting in better within the AUBG community thanks to club opportunities.

“I feel that club support is the best way to go for a freshman because these are the people that have encountered and in a way conquered AUBG, so the important thing for you is to find the right place with the right vibe – not just any club, but a club that fits your core,” she said.

Brigita described her freshman self as “shy” but at the same time “extroverted”. She has since grown out of her shell, explaining that she needed more than a couple of weeks to adjust to the university environment and in general discover herself and her feelings.

“It is a journey – it is wonderful and it is exciting, but it also has its hardships. In the beginning, I had the mindset that I’d try out everything in terms of meeting new people and going to different places, but at the same time I felt divided because I was here to study and focus on academics,” she said.

As Brigita reflected on her journey, she mentioned tearing up in September when she realized it was her last year at AUBG. Meanwhile, Anna's journey had just begun, as she faced the fear of sharing a room with a stranger.

“The scariest thing for me was that I would have to live with someone that I don’t know – basically a stranger, but fortunately, it turned out that my roommate is an amazing person and now she is one of my closest friends in AUBG,” she said.

Anna has only two friendships in the university that she considers genuine. While she enjoys knowing some people, she doesn't feel comfortable forming bonds with many, as she doesn't believe it to be very useful.

Nikolay holds a different perspective on friendships, finding them essential for building connections and fostering a sense of belonging during the adapting process.

“During my freshman year, I was mingling with different groups of students, while I was still trying to navigate my sense of belonging here,” he said.

 Editors: Vasil Paskov and David Mitov