One of the most well-known faces from our department is of course one of an eminent student. She is among the 7 best students from the university and she has been awarded the Mecénás scholarship which is given only for 10 students from Nagyvárad. 
On Wednesday you find her in the phonetic laboratory, on Thursday afternoon she is in the Library. These facts show her as a girl who is interested only in books and learning. Whether this is true or not is not my job to decide. Borbély Julianna (Jay) was born in Vajdahunyad. When I ask her about her childhood she starts to smile and then she smiles.
a: As a single child, I lived in a world of my own where there was no need for toys. My imagination helped to entertain myself. If something caught my attention, I would go home and act out the scene. I always wanted to identify myself with the people who impressed me. I always put myself in their place, assimilated myself, but after a while my real self emerged. Then I realized that I should be myself. Depending on whoever did impress me, I wanted to be a teacher, a doctor, a psychologist, a politician, a journalist and a lot of other things.
q: What kind of pupil were you in the primary school?
a: Well, average. Actually I think I am much better now. I was considered a pupil who had a lot of potential but who was very lazy.
q: You graduated from the Bethlen Gábor high school in a pedagogical class and you were teaching for a year. Did you enjoy it?
a: It definitely was a good experience. I have learnt a lot about teaching, methodology and myself. But I’m not made for teaching in a primary school. It is one of the most difficult things to do and if you are not born for it, you’d better not do it.
q: If you are not made for teaching, then, from your point of view, what are you made for?
a: That’s what I’m trying to find out now. Teaching is something I would like to do, but on a higher level.
q: In this part of your life what is the most important thing for you?
a: I think it is very important to do something with myself: to study, to get to know people, to be active, to take every opportunity. I try to keep myself busy.
q: What about your personal life? Is that as active as your social one?
a: I’m afraid my social life is so full that I scarcely have time for anything else. The little free time I have, I usually spend with my friends.
q: Only with friends? Or is there a boyfriend as well?
a: I don’t have any boyfriends. In this part of my life I feel that such a relationship would bind me. And what I see around me as far as relationships are concerned is not very cheerful. Looking at them, I have found out what a relationship needs and I have realized that it is a very complicated matter.
q: How do you imagine your life at the age of 40?
a: I prefer rather not to speak about my future life. I’m afraid of failure. But if I think of myself ... I think at the age of 40 I will be arrogant and extremely severe. I will probably annoy everybody and I’ll be very proud.
q: When applying to this university, your first choice was English. Now that a year has passed, what do you like most in it?
a: I like the department itself. I’m afraid only of those people who cannot understand me. I like being here, on this side of the classroom. I’m not saying that I didn’t like teaching, I just like studying English and I do feel that we get an awful lot every day.
q: If you were asked to make any suggestions about the department, what would that be?
a: Well, to get our teeth into things more deeply. I sometimes have the feeling we are superficial. We study important subjects for only a semester. The teachers themselves complain about the shortness of time and they say that it is impossible to go through the whole material as thoroughly as we should. Another thing I would suggest is to build up closer relationships with the teachers of other departments.
AJÁNLOM AZ OLDALT
