Do It Like a Russian
We want to help you get to know what it’s like to live in Russia like a Russian, so this year we shared with you how to date like a Russian, text like a Russian, and best of all recycle like a Russian. When winter is starting to hit in Russia, it’s time to dress warm and start pickling, so we gave you a taste of how to pickle like a Russian, and brave the cold like a Russian. And if you want some more ideas, you can follow the tag.
Speak Like a Russian
Life in Russia can be tough if you don’t know the language. Our team wants to help you discover how to start speaking Russian, how to talk to students in their own language, how to describe your feelings when Russian winter freezes you up and even how to say something using science.
Unexplored St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg is a wonderful city and the best thing about it is that there’s always something to explore. This year. our team shared with you some tips on how to spend a warm summer evening at Sevkabel Port, how to try something new at Vasileostrovskiy Market and how to travel to Vladivostok without leaving St. Petersburg. We also showed you some highlights of St. Petersburg architecture, such as Art Nouveau and Eclecticism.
Be International
In 2019 we spoke with a philosopher and machine learning specialist from Germany, a mechatronics and security guru from Mexico, a science artist from Lebanon and many many other unbelievably interesting people who study at ITMO.
Movie Fridays
This year was really productive, but there was also time for fun. Our team told you about a TV series with quintessentially British black humor and sarcasm, fantastic movies about technologies and connection, stalker drama with a Gossip Girl star and a documentary about space and time, expressed their undying love to Fleabag, kept you up to date with the latest movie releases, and many, many more. We also started writing about video games; here’s our first article!
Songs
2019 was full of events and they were not always pleasant. But music always helps and this year was no exception, so we decided to share our music gems in the new Song of the Month column. In March we were warming up with Lady Gaga and Animal Jazz, in July we were renewing our faith in humanity with New Politics and Max Korzh and in November we braced ourselves with Coldplay and Monetochka (Елизавета Гырдымова, признана иноагентом).
Motley Tuesdays
Our team was providing information not only about music, cinema and St. Petersburg but on Tuesdays we were writing about lots of other fun stuff. Now you know where to find cheap and tasty fast food, what you can buy for 100 rubles and which discounts you can get as a student. Interesting topics about the main symbol of Russia and Soviet sci-fi literature were also covered by our witty reporters. If you have breaks from classes, you can go to some fun places around Lomonosova building or Kronverksky building.
Healthy Living and The Experiment
Healthy life is important, but can seem very unattainable, too: all lettuce, incessant runs and zero fun at all. That's why we decided to approach it in a fun and experimental way, researching how to fight a cold, temporarily refraining from coffee and living an ascetic zero-waste life for a week. There were highs, there were lows, there were tears and there were coffee withdrawals; altogether, we’ve had a great time.
Food
To be healthy you need to eat healthy food. This year we told you where to buy vegan and vegetarian food, where to go out to eat it and where to eat it healthy in a fancy place. Also, we didn’t forget about the always-hungry students and offered them easy meals and delicious Asian food near the university. We were brave enough to try scary Russian food – and it was delicious! But New Year's coming and that means there is going to be a lot of Russian traditional food. Brace yourself and your belly. Food coma is coming.
Travel
Being healthy physically is good, but we also need to remember about being healthy mentally. And one of the best things for mental health is travel. This year we advised you to go for short trips, first trips in St. Petersburg and how to get to the capital.
2019 was unbelievable, bright and varied. But we’ll remember it as a year of opportunities and challenges. Next year is the start of a new decade. Let’s make these new 10 years kinder, more eco-friendly, and more peaceful.
English Editorial Team
