We continue our introduction to the finalists of the "Mr. BNTU 2026" competition: the most talented and ambitious young people at the Polytechnic University. This article focuses on first-year student of the Faculty of Information Technology and Robotics, Maxim Tkachenko.
In normal university life, he, like many others, balances classes, labs, and sleep, yet manages to maintain a remarkable calm and charisma. Maxim described himself as ambitious, proactive, and outgoing. He noted that these three qualities keep him from standing still and always push him to try something new.
To get to know the finalist better and get to know him as a person, we asked Maxim a few unconventional questions. When asked what his ideal morning looks like, he responded:
— Summer, you wake up on your own, without an alarm clock, you feel great, and you realize that today is a completely free day and you can do whatever you want. That's the ideal morning.
— What's the most important life truth you've learned through your experience that you'd like to share with others?
— Finding a truly close person isn't just luck, it's a tremendous treasure that's easily lost through foolishness.
If he could borrow one real skill from anyone in the world, Maxim would choose the ability to sense people, to read nonverbal cues, gestures, facial expressions, and intonations that conceal the truth.
— Imagine how wonderful it would be to understand a friend's pain, even when they're smiling, or to notice the hidden joy in someone you're talking to. This skill saves us from hundreds of unnecessary arguments. I think if we could all be so sensitive to each other, the world would be a much warmer place.
Maxim also shared that the most valuable piece of advice that truly helped him in life was a simple phrase: "Solve problems as they arise."
"When you stop thinking about all the possible future disasters and focus on the here and now, life becomes much easier," the contestant admitted.
As a true BNTU student, Maxim approaches his preparation with an engineering mindset. Correctly prioritizing helps the finalist cope with the large number of tasks in a day.
"It's important to separate the essential from the unimportant. If you compare memorizing five questions in one night or staging a number with lighting, sound, and dance, the creative number comes out on top by a huge margin without hesitation. Cramming five questions in history is difficult, but linear." But organizing a full-fledged routine, where you breakdance yourself, make sure the lighting hits just right, your costume doesn't rip, and the music stays on track—it's a complex mix of creativity, logistics, and stress management.
— What do you consider the highlight of your routine that will wow everyone in the audience, and how will you know after the final that you've become the true "Mr. BNTU" in the eyes of the audience, even if you don't win the crown?
— The highlight of my routine will be the breakdancing. If after the final, strangers start coming up to me and saying, "Hey, you had the best routine, why didn't you win?"—that's when I'll know I've accomplished my mission. Because audience recognition is sometimes more valuable than any title.
We thank Maxim for the sincere conversation and wish him a brilliant performance on stage!
