After eleven years of post-Soviet education, I had to adapt to a new learning paradigm. For the first time I was introduced to self-education and independent research, principles that are at the heart of Western thought but which were not encouraged by my teachers back home. Upon arriving at an international boarding school, I had to quickly adopt those skills to best pursue an American education. My social transition into a new world was accompanied by my educational adaptation to an environment of creative and critical thinkers. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Unfortunately, in Russia, skills such as eloquent writing and thoughtful reading are not taught in the classroom and are not necessary for academic success until you enter university. Although the journey was difficult, my new international friends offered me substantial support through difficult times, from my first day of high school to enrolling in the school that I thought would become my home: Fordham University. The ability to create something from nothing has always fascinated me. And in my college, in a community of like-minded enthusiasts, my passion for entrepreneurship was finally able to flourish. Even though I couldn't achieve any of my dreams in Russia, the American environment made everything possible. After days and nights of hard work and planning, organizing meetings, teaching staff and negotiating with the school administration, I opened a Student Cafe in my college. With the help of my closest friends, it turned out to be a success, feeding hungry students at night while providing valuable work experience for others. I've learned that entrepreneurship isn't something you simply study, it's a style of thinking and living that few are born with. When I first arrived at college, a wave of emotions overwhelmed me; I was excited to start my studies in an environment of like-minded people. Disillusionment, however, quickly overtook me. Unable to find an active extracurricular community that shared my interest in finance and entrepreneurship, I found it difficult to fit in. I realized that I had very little in common with my colleagues from the American Northeast, so I decided to take up rowing to keep me focused. I continued to look for people with common interests. While I met many unique and brilliant people, none of them could truly relate to my keen interest in entrepreneurship. I also didn't see the diversity of thought I was used to at my college. Since first semester classes didn't seem challenging after a rigorous IB Diploma program, I decided to take some time off to work on an e-commerce project that my high school friend and I had conceived a long time ago . The biggest disappointment, however, came with my first meeting with the principal. When I stated my educational goals, he regretfully revealed that Fordham students cannot double major in disciplines from the Gabelli School of Business and Fordham College. That was the moment I knew I had to move. While the business school here offers numerous internship and experience opportunities, I knew that a math major is something I can't pass up. My Russian high school provided me with a solid framework of mathematical thinking, which continues to help me solve everyday problems analytically. From the point.