For Fanni, the road to the Student Hub was not a smooth one: when she first applied, she did not make it onto the team, yet today she coordinates the work of both the Student Hub and the Foreign Affairs Committee. We talked about how she got to where she is today, what she has learned over the past two years, what changes she would like to implement, and what programmes they are preparing for the new academic year.

Let us start with a slightly more personal part: who is Fanni?

I am a third-year psychology student in the English-language programme. I come from a village of about two thousand people near Sopron, and honestly, to this day, I feel that it was a bit of a coincidence that I ended up in Pécs. There was no particular or specific reason behind it; simply, since ninth grade, I had a feeling that I had to come here.

And looking back, I think it has become clear why.

I really like participating in university life. Since I got here, I have been constantly looking for opportunities to get involved in community life. During the two years I have spent here, I have changed a lot, and I feel that I open up to others much more easily.

How did you finally end up in the team?

I already applied to the Hub in my first semester, but I was not accepted back then. It turned out later that there was actually a rather simple reason for this: I had classes the entire time during the Hub’s opening hours. Of course, I was a little disheartened then, but I did not let it go. I kept checking when there would be another round of recruitment, and when the application for the Foreign Affairs Advisor was announced last year, I thought I would give it a try. I did not have much experience with the Hub yet, but I figured that whatever I did not know, I would learn, since there are several people on the team who already have a lot of experience. Thanks to their helpfulness, this is exactly what happened in the end.

What exactly do you do as a Foreign Affairs Advisor?

The position brings together two major areas: the work of the Student Hub and the Foreign Affairs Committee.

One of the most important tasks of the Student Hub is to provide assistance to international students with everyday matters. The office is open from Monday to Thursday, and they can reach out to us in person in case of a problem. If there is something we cannot help with directly, we can at least point them in the right direction and tell them who they should turn to.

At the Foreign Affairs Committee, we primarily focus on event organisation. We figure out together what kind of events we want, how to implement them, and naturally, we also work together on their execution.

It is very important to me that everyone’s opinion counts.

I, for example, am not the most creative person, but if there is a good basic idea, I can build on it very well. The members of the team help a lot with this.

What is it that you definitely want to carry forward, and what is it that you would change?

I really like that the members of the team are so independent and reliable. Since I am also still new to this position, it helps a lot that I can count on them. If I assign a task to someone and there is a deadline, then I know that they will do it, and I don’t have to constantly check up on them. I think this is our team’s greatest strength. I would like this work ethic to remain in the future as well.

In the area of social media, however, we would like to make some changes. The communication of an event consists of a lot of small tasks: posts, stories, promotions, posters, descriptions. Currently, these often have to be delegated separately, so I think it would be much simpler if there were someone who consistently manages this. This is now one of the areas where we need to introduce some innovations.

How would you like to bring Hungarian and international students closer together?

I would like to achieve this primarily through joint programmes. Naturally, everyone gravitates towards people with whom they can more easily find common ground, so I think the most important thing is to have occasions where the two communities can meet in the framework of more informal events.

The Hub’s events are not exclusively for international students; we welcome interested Hungarian students just as much. At these events, new acquaintances and friendships can form, and it is easy to find common ground with the participants. Last year’s International Faculty Night also turned out to have a great atmosphere, attended by both international and Hungarian students alike.

What programmes are you preparing for the autumn semester?

Pumpkin carving is returning, and around Halloween, we are planning a costumed international pub crawl. In addition, there will be a movie night, quiz night, beer pong, and, naturally, the International Faculty Night, that is, the faculty evening for international students. We are also preparing techno yoga, which I personally am really looking forward to. However, I do not want to reveal everything in advance. We will also have several events, the details of which should remain a secret for now.

And if someone would like to try themselves out not only as a participant, but also as a member of the team?

Right now, both the Student Hub and the Foreign Affairs Committee are recruiting members, so we are eagerly waiting for those who would like to join. I think this is a very good opportunity to try yourself out, gain experience, and, in the meantime, belong to a community where what you contribute really matters. There is no need to be afraid even if someone arrives as a complete stranger. Last year, when I was first accepted, I knew almost no one. I went to a team-building event where I got to know the other members of the team, and very quickly I felt that I belonged among them. That is exactly why I now want others to have this same experience. Let us not just be another name next to each other at the university, but truly a community.

Finally, what would your message be to those Hungarian and international students who have not yet participated in your programmes?

That you should come!

As a Hungarian student, it is a very good opportunity to get to know other cultures, people, and languages at these events. As an international student, it is equally important that you have the opportunity to connect with Hungarian students and get to know the environment you live in. I think you can learn much more from each other in person than we could ever discover through the internet. So I can really only say: come, participate, let us get to know each other, and let us have a good time together!

Translation: Eötvös Zoé

Photos: Krajnik A. Benedek