It’s time for new student admissions here at the MMS: FOB and MMS: DKU programs. With prospective students gearing up to do their best in writing the essays, I’m here to give you a useful perspective.

First of all, you can find details about the application procedure here. Admissions counselors are here to help you guide through the overall admissions process. Fuqua also asks to learn 25 interesting facts about you. In my opinion, this essay is the most fun part of the application; and the most difficult.

Flashback. It’s November 2013. I am sitting at my desk and wondering what to include in my list of 25 interesting facts for my MMS application. I knew I had to make this one stand out. I was destined to, but so was everyone else. I had to send in something unique. But what?

I took a glance at what past bloggers had already shared as their 25 facts.

For me, it all started on this wooden desk
For me, it all started on this wooden desk

I knew that my list of 25 facts was complete and incomplete at the same time. I had the stuff to fill it in, but I wanted to write something special about me. And here comes my first piece of advice to you: look back into your life. Like you, your past is one of a kind, and all the answers are there.

A bullet in your list can be anything. Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. The fact may have a background story behind it or it might just be something you really enjoy.

So, continuing the tradition of bloggers sharing their admissions insight, here are the 25 random things you should know about me:

  1. I have been fishing with a rod for over 15 years and I have caught exactly 9 fish. Still, I am proud of this achievement.
  1. I sang Christmas carols to all 7 elderly people in my village last year because no children could come from nearby towns due to ground frost.
  1. My favorite movies are “It’s A Wonderful Life” and “Rudy,” while my favorite song is Mozart’s “Turkish March.”
  1. I consider pizza with mushrooms and olives an irresistible choice for Sunday night soccer.
  1. When I was younger, I had a red ink pen which I used regularly and was broken multiple times. It was my only red ink pen, so I fixed it with tape, as I wanted it to last. It lasts until today.
  1. I used to collect comic books when I was younger, especially the works of Carl Barks and Don Rosa.
  1. I used to play Pokemon Red in Nintendo’s original Game Boy back in 2000. I finished the game although I could not read or write English at the time.
  1. Sports are a part of me
    Sports are a part of me

    One day, I want to walk across the coastline of a small island and compare it to the Earth’s size to realize how big our planet is.

  1. My favorite actor is James Stewart.
  1. I cannot imagine what the world might be like without red wine.
  1. I spend hours reading encyclopedic articles in Wikipedia, ranging from Florence Nightingale’s life to different types of grass.
  1. Among other sports, I absolutely love futsal. I played as a goalkeeper in Greece in both indoor and outdoor events.
  1. I like biking to places in the countryside. I believe that if you want to get the most out of a place, you need a small backpack and a bike.
  1. I kept my first mobile phone for 4 years. I paid for it with coins, not a single paper bill. The cashier’s facial expression was worth even more than the phone itself.
  1. I opened my LinkedIn account in 2008. “High School Student” did not help me get noticed.
  1. Every summer for the past 13 years, I played a 1-on-1 soccer and basketball match with my cousin in my village’s square. This tradition came to an end this year, as I had to work as an intern in the summer.
  1. Spiderman still decorates my bedroom door in Athens
    Spiderman still decorates my bedroom door in Athens

    I still believe there are uncharted areas on this planet. What about Santa Claus? Well…

  1. Since childhood, I have been watching Formula One racing. My favorite driver is “il leone” Nigel Mansell.
  1. I have been watching “Friends,” “How I Met Your Mother” and “The Big Bang Theory” throughout my university life.
  1. I always sleep face-down on my left side.
  1. I fear all kinds of spiders but I adore Spiderman. In fact, I have a sticker of him in my dorm door.
  1. I once made a pizza with 21 different cheeses. It was delicious (NOT!).
  1. I am very superstitious, as I believe that from the smallest to the biggest, everything happens for a reason.
  1. Landscape photography is one of my passions
    Landscape photography is one of my passions

    I love landscape photography. I started it as a hobby to promote my village. As you will see the text is in Greek but…ehem…you know, a picture is worth 1,000 words.

  1. I do not have a bucket list, but after this part of the application I am considering making one!

The article’s title promises you the 26th fact. You will not see it in this personal list. This final fact is the one element that makes the difference in my opinion and this element cannot be found anywhere but here at Fuqua, and it is common amongst all students. This is the #TeamFuqua spirit. Because here, you will not just get a top-notch education, but a brand new and amazing experience that cannot be summed up in an article or blog post. It is not something you write about, it is something you experience and live. And it all starts here.