Describe an event that you took part in at school or university

I'd like to talk about a science fair that was organised at my university during my second year. Each department could enter a team, and I volunteered to join the group from the chemistry faculty, mostly because my friend Rustam asked me to.

The event took place in the main building over two days in April. Our project was a simple water filter made from sand, charcoal and cloth, and we wanted to show that clean water can be produced cheaply. Before the fair, we spent about three weeks meeting in the evenings to build the model, test it and prepare a short presentation. We had several arguments about the design, but we always managed to find a compromise.

On the day, we set up a stand with posters, and visitors, including students, teachers and even some local school pupils, came to ask questions. My job was to explain the project and demonstrate how the filter worked. At first I was nervous, because I'm not naturally confident speaking to strangers, but after the first few people, I relaxed and even started to enjoy it.

We didn't win the first prize, but we received a special mention from the judges, which made us really happy.

I learned a lot from taking part. Practically, I understood how to plan a project and share responsibilities. Personally, I discovered that I can speak in public if I prepare well. It definitely boosted my confidence, and I still use some of those skills in my current job.