‘Student Life at HSE Is Intense but Rewarding’

Photo courtesy of Aleksandra Wallace

Aleksandra Wallace, born in St Louis, Missouri, USA, is a first-year student of the Bachelor’s programme ‘International Relations and Global Studies’ at HSE University. In her interview with the HSE News Service, Aleksandra spoke on her Russian roots, why she chose to study in Russia instead of the USA, how she balances two cultures and actively participates in student initiatives, and why it’s important to find friends who support you.

— What made you choose HSE University in Moscow over universities in the US, where studying would have been more straightforward?

— From the very beginning I had planned on applying to universities in both the US and in Moscow. By May of my senior year of high school, I had already committed to a university in the US, since the US university application period is during a student’s last year of high school as opposed to the summer after graduating school in Russia. The issue for me was that in the US many college counselors and people in general say that you will feel ‘at home’ when you do a tour of the college you ‘are meant to be at,’ but I never really experienced this feeling and never felt like any of the universities I toured were somewhere I could spend the next four years of my life. This was further reinforced when I received my schedule for the first semester from the American university and none of the classes were major specific or interesting to me. As a result, I decided to look further into the majors at HSE’s Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs. I also considered applying to Moscow State University, but found HSE’s admission process, communication, and site to be more streamlined, logical, and easier to understand and use. Now I study on the International Relations and Global Studies Programme and plan on finishing my bachelor’s degree in this programme.

—​​​​​​​ How did your family react to your decision to move from the US to Moscow for your undergraduate degree?

— I have grown up spending my school year in the US and my summers in Moscow with my grandparents. My mom is from Moscow, and my dad is American with Scottish roots, which makes me Russo-Scottish-American.

My family was incredibly supportive of my decision to move from the US to Moscow for my undergraduate degree. I had already expressed an interest in living in a big city and attending university in Moscow, so this decision did not surprise anyone. I am incredibly lucky that my family encouraged me when I was taking HSE’s entrance exams at three in the morning and helped to get all my educational documents translated and submitted correctly. Overall, my family was very supportive in figuring out all the uncertainties of this process.

They say college is a time to try new things, so I decided to push myself outside of my comfort zone.

Staying in the US would have been more predictable, but I knew moving across the ocean would teach me to be more adaptive, manage the unexpected, and learn more about my culture. 

— Could you describe your favourite courses so far this year?

— My favorite courses this year have been Intro to Economics and English for Special Purposes. Intro to Economics has been very interesting because it has helped me to understand topics which were taught to me in school but not in depth. Our professor does a great job of developing the lectures in a way that builds simpler, more attainable topics and ideas into large and complex ones. The course is structured in a way where everything is cumulative, which means by the time you get to the overarching multifaceted economic theories you have already learned all of their parts. I have also really enjoyed English for Special Purposes, which may seem ironic for someone who is already fluent in English, but this course appealed to me due to the discussions and debates among students facilitated by the course content and the professor. I have really enjoyed discussing serious international topics with my peers, who all have a wide range of perspectives and opinions.

— Was anything particularly challenging in exams, and how did you manage to succeed? 

— The most challenging part of exams was the sheer number of them. All of the courses this first year have been very content heavy, so there is a lot of material to review for more than eight exams a semester. I have been able to handle this volume of material and exam preparations with the help of my friends.

Having friends and classmates to study with and to split the review materials among makes studying not only more manageable but also more fun and enjoyable. 

— You’re now in your first year and actively involved in student initiatives on your programme. Which activities have you joined, and what do you enjoy most about being part of the student community here? 

— I have joined my program’s press center. Although we are still in the early stages, I have edited the English language version of the program’s website.

I really enjoy being a part of something that is going to help future applicants and make HSE and our program more accessible for international students.

I hope that my work in the press center will allow more students to choose the International Relations and Global Studies Programme and experience all the amazing opportunities it has to offer.

— What has been the biggest academic surprise for you at HSE?

— The biggest academic surprise for me at HSE was the practical aspects of our courses. In my high school a lot of the learning was focused on memorizing facts and truly focused on academics. In contrast, the seminars that are a part of my courses are focused on promoting discussion and critical thinking among students.

Our seminars are really focused on students’ abilities to draw conclusions from the assigned reading materials and develop lines of reasoning that extend beyond the texts themselves.

— You’re fluent in Russian thanks to your family background, but have you faced any cultural or language challenges while studying or living in Moscow?

— I am extremely grateful to my family because not only do I have control over the language because of them, but I also have a nuanced understanding of the culture, so I did not really experience any major cultural shocks. I do still get confused by some slang words. When I first got added to the telegram group chat of my year, I struggled to follow the conversation that was extremely colloquial and made references to media or pop culture I was not familiar with. Luckily everyone one is really kind and eager to explain, if I ask.

— What do you personally appreciate most about the programme so far: specific courses, professors, or the overall environment? 

— I really appreciate the genuine interest that the teaching staff has in their students.

All of my professors teach like they genuinely care about their students’ success.

Additionally, I really appreciate that you can tell the purpose and the benefit every course has for our overall major. Every course teaches information or skills that will be beneficial to any professional in the sphere of international relations.

— How would you describe daily student life at HSE to a friend back in the US? What’s something they would find surprising or cool? 

— I would describe daily student life at HSE as intense but rewarding. We have anywhere from two to five classes a day, which can lead to very long and tiring days. Going to university at HSE is really taxing but it is because you are learning a lot.

I think it’s cool that we study on different campuses across the center of Moscow. It’s interesting to interact with students from different programs and faculties.

I also really enjoy the fact that every course consists of lectures and a seminar that corresponds to each. I enjoy the opportunity to learn the content at the lectures and have the opportunity to test my newly acquired knowledge in discussion with my peers and professors.

— What do you like most about living in Moscow: the city, the people, the opportunities?

— My favorite part about living in Moscow is the direct access to history, culture, and the arts. I enjoy going to the theater, expositions, art galleries, and cinemas with my friends. I love that there is always something to do and see in the city. I also love the fast pace of life in the city that is absent in American suburbia. Since I have been visiting Russia in the summer every year since I was twelve, the city has felt familiar since I moved here in August.

— Looking ahead, how do you think your HSE degree will help you in your future career, especially in relation to US–Russia or international affairs?

— It is my belief that in most cases every country should strive to have a working relationship with other states, even if achieving a friendly relationship is not possible.

I hope that a degree from HSE will make me a professional capable of striking the right balance between the US and Russia and building a stable and mutually beneficial relationship.

I believe that having a combination of an American and a Russian education will give me a uniquely valuable dual perspective. I hope that my understanding of both cultures in combination with a degree will make me a more effective professional in the sphere of international relations.

— What advice would you give to other young foreign people who are unsure whether to apply to HSE and move to Moscow?

— My biggest piece of advice would be to do your research and learn as much as you can about HSE. I think that it has a spot for everyone, so the most important thing is to find your place and the major that will suit you best. I would also suggest talking to the acceptance committee of the major(s) you are interested in and to students on those programs because they can give you an insider’s view on the program. Moscow is an amazing place to be—full of fun and interesting opportunities, but like all big cities it can be overwhelming. My best advice for dealing with the high-speed pace of the city is to find friends who will support you and keep you sane.