There is exactly one week left until the final of the Miss BNTU - 2026 contest. The days of preparation, filled with rehearsals, master classes and vivid impressions, harden the character of the girls. Some are experiencing such an experience for the first time, while others are already familiar with such an environment, such as for Yulia Romanovich, a first-year student at the Faculty of Energy Engineering.
The theme of this year's contest – "Take a step towards yourself" – sounds different for each participant. For Yulia, this is primarily a story about the constant upward movement. She is sure that any event in life is a great reason for self–improvement.
– Any situation that happens to us teaches us something. And first of all, you need to participate in the competition for yourself, because it is a great way to step up a notch and become much better than yesterday.
– What brought up this particular view of life in you?
– My self-perception was most strongly influenced by the National Beauty School. I had been dancing for a long time before that, and it was a completely different element. Imagine: hip-hop, wide trousers, oversized T-shirts, a certain freedom of movement. But at the beauty school, everything is different. They have a different style of clothing and a more mature and conscious view of the world. It was at that moment that something switched in my head. I looked at myself and thought: "But you can be completely different! You can manifest yourself in a different way."
The competition at the beauty school did not break the girl's faith that personal growth is much more important than awards and crowns. The finalist spoke about what makes her move forward, even when her hands are down, using the example of her dancing past.
– I believe that self-development is more important than achievements. If you are gradually getting better, then recognition will come by itself. I remember how I came to a completely new dance direction for myself: I stand, look at others and do not understand at all how they do it, why the arm and leg move in different directions. But thanks to the choreographer's support, I just kept rehearsing. Even when my peers had already started teaching, I continued to hone my skills as a student, and eventually began dancing as a professional.
The girl's determination has translated into countless awards and success in modeling. Today Yulia works with many Belarusian brands.
– If we talk about significant stages, it is, of course, work at the National Beauty School, participation in major state events and cooperation with well-known Belarusian brands. My portfolio includes works at Brands Fashion Week, Art Fashion Week and Belarus Fashion Week. I recently worked with the ABC brand at hockey matches. It would seem that there is nothing complicated: communication, photos, interaction with fans, but it is a tremendous experience of working with people and brands in real time.
– How to get rid of the stereotypes imposed by the beauty industry?
– There are a lot of stereotypes in modeling, but I manage to avoid them. How do you distinguish your true desires from the imposed ones? Your interests may be unfashionable or incomprehensible to most, but no one should care. This is your life and your desires. I just don't pay attention to what they say from the outside, and I go my own way, constantly working on myself.
Due to the fact that the girl works in the beauty industry, she learned about the Polytechnic and, in particular, about the Miss BNTU contest at school. The university's social media videos about this project fascinated her so much that she realized at the beginning of her first year that she would become a part of it.
– I was so inspired by the videos from BNTU contests on TikTok and Instagram that I made a promise to go to the Miss casting. And so I passed it. For such contests, I was given basic knowledge at the National School of Beauty: from fashion shows to acting and public speaking.
Speaking of beauty contests, in addition to the university level, Julia wants to achieve success at both the city and national levels. Despite her ambitious plans, the girl tries to enjoy every moment of the project itself, focusing not only on the result, but also on the emotions that arise in the process.
– Therefore, the current project is for me a powerful springboard into the future and an opportunity to test myself. Besides the experience, I just want to enjoy preparing for the finals. To some extent, this is a repetition of what I've learned: I'm learning fashion shows, stunts, and creating a stage persona again. But there is one important difference: I used to often help other guys prepare rooms, but now I do it for myself. To return to this learning atmosphere, to stand in the same row with the other participants and to invest in your own performance – all this brings a lot of pleasure.
We thank Julia for her candid account of herself. We wish you to achieve all your goals!
