Can someone experience the whole AUBG Journey in just three days? Sounds (just a little bit) impossible. Well, maybe. However, there is that one specific weekend where you could get as close to this goal as possible – The Griffins Journey weekend.
Organizing it during the busiest a.k.a the Great AUBG weekend, it sounds as if this could be the perfect time to show to all of the 50 high schoolers what the AUBG community stands for.
Students from all over the Balkans arrived on the busy Friday to kick off their AUBG experience with “Orientation”, just like a regular freshman would start their AUBG life.
The schedule offered a panel discussions led by current students and alumni that shed light on life at AUBG and the unique value of a liberal arts education. A bustling student club fair showcased the diverse range of extracurricular activities that shape AUBG’s vibrant campus culture. High schoolers even got a taste of real-life classes, attending sessions led by passionate AUBG professors and alumni:
- The AI Industrial Revolution: How to prepare for the next 10 years? – Emil Todorov ’22
- The psychology behind genuine connections – Yuli Yuliev (’19)
- Business Strategies for International Growth – prof. Radeva
- The Art of Cinematography – Yenlik O’Neill (’21)
- Game Theory – prof. A. Elveren
- Corruption – prof. Bernaciak
- The Ethics of Loot Boxes in Video Games – prof. Adsett
Throughout the weekend, teamwork was a constant theme. From collaborative projects to navigating the jam-packed schedule, participants got a grasp of the value of working together – a crucial skill for success at AUBG, and beyond. This sense of collaboration highlighted the supportive community that AUBG fosters. After all, AUBG is more than just classrooms and lectures – it’s a network of peers and mentors who are always there to lend a helping hand.
The typical “Finals” week that happened just within an evening challenged the high schoolers to step outside their comfort zones and show their presentation skills. Each team had to create a student club at AUBG with full-scale business and administrative plan. This is where the coincidence with the AUBG Great Weekend came in handy. With a campus buzzing with activity, students, and alumni, the participants were able to get multiple perspectives for their research and validation phases.
“It was heartwarming to see them taking the advice and mentorship offered seriously,” said AUBG alumna and Griffins Journey organizer Sofiya Budeva (‘23). “With that we saw them forming connections that could blossom into, hopefully, lifelong friendships.”
By the end of the three days, these high schoolers had truly seen a bit of everything AUBG has to offer. They sampled a variety of classes, from passionate professors covering diverse topics, to the thrill of extracurricular activities.
