The "Mr. BNTU" competition has long been one of the most striking creative traditions of the university. This year, among the finalists is Anton Lakiza, a first-year student of the Faculty of Civil Engineering. On the eve of the finale, the young man revealed what helps him to keep up with everything, what life truth has made him happier, and why viewers can definitely expect surprises.
Anton admitted that these three words best describe him as a person: excitement, sincerity, and laughter. As for his ideal morning, the first-year student described it as a time when he has a clear understanding of a busy day.
For many people, such a morning means waking up in a high-rise building by the sea or a large body of water. For me, the perfect morning is waking up, going for a run, taking a good shower, having breakfast, and realizing that I have a full day of activities planned out until evening. After eating, I immediately start working on something. Then, I have a snack and continue working. There are no breaks for rest. I am constantly engaged in activities. Busy days are my favorite.
The young man said that he stops noticing time because of many activities: when he communicates with his loved ones, goes for a walk with a friend or family, cooks to music, plays Just Dance and Standoff.
At school, Anton was very active and participated in competitions. After entering BNTU, the love for it only increased.
— At school, I loved to be active. I participated in all competitions, creative events, and assemblies. I already liked it then. Now that I'm in my first year, I've realized that it's incredibly motivating. The large number of people and the vibrant atmosphere around me inspire me to take great actions.
— What is the most important life lesson you've learned from your experiences, and would you like to share it with others?
— I tend to overthink things. For almost a year, I've been trying to approach life with a lighterheartedness. My life lesson is, "Take life easier, and you'll have 50% fewer problems." When I started thinking like that, I started living a happier life. If someone doesn't wish you a good morning, just walk past them. If someone doesn't give you your change, it's just a mistake. Just keep going and forget about it. It's just small things. There will be problems, but their negative impact on you will be much less.
When asked about what guaranteed to make a finalist feel better on a bad day, he replied that it was meeting a kind person.
— Sometimes you notice: you go to a cafe, they smile at you, and they're ready to help you on the street. There are a lot of people like this in different places, and you can even meet them on the subway. If you talk to them for a minute, two minutes, three minutes, or four minutes, they'll give you their energy, and you'll feel better right away. If you find someone like this on a good day, your mood will be even better, and on a bad day, it will skyrocket.
If he had to choose one ability that could be borrowed from anyone on the planet, Anton would choose the ability to be a polyglot.
— I really want to travel around the world, explore different countries, and meet people from different cultures. I would like to learn most of the world's popular languages so that I can communicate freely and learn about the history of our planet. Local people would be able to share stories that I couldn't find on the internet.
One of the things Anton is really proud of is taking the stage with his own song. One day, he overcame all his fears of public speaking and sang at his graduation.
— I went to a regular school until the 9th grade. My older sister went to a regional lyceum. My parents, sister, and other family members said, "Go there." I felt it wasn't my thing, I was used to my regular school, and I was afraid of the new environment. I thought, "No, I don't want to." But in the end, I decided, passed the exam and passed. Now I realize that this is my best decision. Maybe it wasn't the best thing I'd ever done, but I didn't regret it. How did this affect the character? He became stronger. I learned to inspire people to some extent — at the same lyceum I managed to become a leader.
An example of a failure that became a "runway" for a finalist was the story of preparing for the CT. A week and a half before the test, the result of the rehearsal test was 58 points. Instead of giving up, Anton chose an intensive immersion strategy: he invited a tutor and studied for seven hours a day. The result of this self-improvement was 87 points in the certificate.
— When I saw my result, I didn't even believe it: 87? This has become a runway," the young man summed up.
Anton formulated his most ambitious life goal simply:
— I've been living with this thought: since I was 12 years old, I've wanted my name to be remembered in history. Maybe I won't be mentioned in history books like Napoleon or other famous figures, but I really want to make a name for myself.
To effectively manage the workload between rehearsals and a busy study schedule, Anton has analyzed the preparation process as a system. Studying at a technical university has greatly influenced his time management:
— Mr. BNTU takes up a lot of my time. To be able to prepare, I do everything step by step: I plan, I go to laboratories, I arrange a rehearsal in a week. And most importantly, I have a team that I can assign something to, so that they help. I think this is an engineering approach.
— After the final, how will you know that you have become a real “Mr. BNTU” for the audience, even if you don’t receive the crown?
— I think it will be recognition. Many people will see Mr. BNTU at the concert, and many videos will spread on TikTok. If I walk through the BNTU building and they say to me: "Oh, it's you who participated in Mister, you had a cool number," then this will mean that for the audience the real winner is the one whose number is remembered.
As for the number itself, Anton retains the intrigue, because all the cards cannot be revealed.
When asked which is more difficult — to learn five tickets per night or to set up a room, the guy confidently replied that the first is much easier.
— It's much easier to learn five exam questions than to stage a performance, coordinate lighting, sound, and costumes. It takes two days to come up with an idea, then two more days to practice and consider every detail. It takes at least five days of hard work. I can't imagine how it could be done overnight.
Who will become "Mr. BNTU 2026"? The entire university will soon know the answer to this question. Anton Lakiza has already proven that excitement, sincerity, and the ability to inspire others with your energy are half the battle. The other half, according to him, is made up of a creative team and the unique twist that the finalist chose to keep a secret. What will the audience see on stage? What surprise have the students from the Faculty of Civil Engineering prepared? The secret will be revealed soon. All we have to do is wait for the final and see it for ourselves.
Thank you to Anton for the interview and we wish him victory in the final of the competition!
