Hi there! I’m Aida, a second-year psychology student at ELTE. I come from Kazakhstan, where we call ourselves children of the nomads. And I like to think that’s where my love for freedom, nature, and travelling comes from. I love discovering something new, whether it’s a new country, a cosy cafe, a favourite artist, or an interesting conversation. 

 

ELTE has been ranked as Hungary's top university for many years, so it immediately caught my attention. As someone interested in psychology and research, I was especially impressed by the university's strong academic reputation, research opportunities, and the international environment. I wanted to study somewhere that would challenge me academically while also allowing me to grow personally, and ELTE felt like the perfect place. 

Personally, when I was applying for my major, it was very important for me to gain some practice during my studies as well, and the thing I really appreciate about studying psychology at ELTE is the balance between theory and practice. Most lecture courses are accompanied by seminar classes, where we can apply what we've learned through discussions, presentations, and practical activities. These smaller classes make learning much more interactive and help us develop skills that are valuable beyond the classroom.

I think, just like many students, I struggled a lot with procrastination, doing things last minute, especially during busy weeks when multiple deadlines came at once. I usually managed to complete everything on time, but I often created unnecessary stress for myself by leaving tasks until the last minute. 

Learning to manage my time made the biggest difference. Instead of focusing on everything at once, I started breaking assignments into smaller tasks and planning my week in advance. It's still something I'm working on, but I've become much more organised and less stressed. 

I believe a Psychology degree goes far beyond preparing me for a future career. Professionally, it definitely opens so many different opportunities and gives me the freedom to explore different paths when I continue with my master's. But personally, I genuinely find myself thinking about things we've learned during lectures all the time. I'll be talking to someone or observing a situation and suddenly remember a concept from class that just... fits. It has helped me understand myself better, be more mindful of other people's perspectives, and appreciate how complex we all are. 

My favourite quote is, "You will never be this young again." So make the most of your time here. Do that thing you've been postponing for so long, ask the "silly" questions, learn new things, go out and talk to people, don't be afraid to talk to your professors after class, and say yes to new experiences (just don't get yourself into too much trouble). Most importantly, dream big, stay curious, and believe in yourself!