IC: In terms of competitive math, geometry has always been my strongest and favorite subject. But more generally, I enjoy the way I can use my brain to solve problems. I really appreciate how much thinking I've been exposed to throughout my childhood. I think it has shaped my brain in a very positive way.
I started doing math Olympiads in seventh grade when my school teacher introduced me to them. She said, "Give it a try." I did, and here I am. What kept me going back then were mostly the problems and the community. I fell in love with hanging out with like-minded people. In school, you're with a mix of random people, but at Olympiads, you meet others who share the same interests and life visions.
My experiences with math Olympiads have changed over time. In the beginning, it felt much more competitive—almost like your self-respect depended on one competition. But as you go on in math competitions and experience both failure and success, you realize that what truly matters are the problems themselves and how you feel when solving them, not the results.
IC: At EGMO 2022, we had a dance party at the end of the evening. It wasn’t a disco but more like Hungarian dances and other organized dances. I really enjoy those kinds of dances where everyone knows the steps—kind of like that scene from Tangled. It was a really great memory.
Another highlight was solving a geometry problem during the competition. I had learned some new concepts just a few weeks before, and applying them to this problem made me feel really proud. It was one of those moments where everything clicked, and it felt amazing.
I also had fun talking to people and even exchanging currencies. I swapped some Bosnian money with Mexican girls for some really beautiful pesos. I’m not sure why they wanted Bosnian money in exchange for their pretty currency, but it’s still cool to have. The pesos had a transparent butterfly design on them, and they’re really quite pretty.
IC: I think my experiences with Math Beyond Limits, a math camp, have given me a good preview of what university life might be like. Of course, university will be more stressful with lectures, tests, and all that, but I'm hoping the atmosphere will be similar—lots of people from different backgrounds coming together over a shared interest.
At MBL, we had courses that went beyond competitive math and touched on more advanced university topics, which got me excited for all the new aspects of math I didn’t get to explore through Olympiads. So, I'm really looking forward to both the math and the people. I'm especially excited to dive deeper into probability and statistics. I didn’t have many opportunities to explore it in high school, only scratching the surface. I think it’s a really important field that shows up in places we don’t even expect.
IC: It definitely has. Getting to know different math cultures and seeing how different countries organize their math events has been really eye-opening. It’s not just about the math—it’s also about meeting people from different backgrounds and gathering new perspectives on everything, not just math. That’s been a really valuable experience for me.
IC: My favorite was Slovenia last year. I went there for EGMO 2023, and it was really beautiful. We stayed in this seaside town near Italy, and it had those narrow, stone-paved streets where you can only walk by foot. It was small, charming, and just really nice.
But in terms of my favorite mathematical experience, it would probably have to be Math Beyond Limits 2023. It was my first MBL experience, and it was amazing. It was the first time I encountered that new type of math, and I think the first MBL experience always holds a special place because of that.
IC: I think I’ve gotten better at handling it, but I don’t really have a specific strategy. One thing I do enjoy is playing table tennis. At our Bosnian math camps, the main activity after a long test is often table tennis, so it’s become a great way for me to unwind. I also like playing pool and similar games—they’re really relaxing.
IC: In terms of competitions, my most exciting moment was definitely when I qualified for EGMO 2022. I was kind of the underdog, so making it through was really satisfying and made me really happy.
On a more personal note, it’s hard to pick just one favorite moment, but I’d say there was this math camp a few years ago that stands out. I was always a shy child and didn’t have many friends at the beginning of my math journey. I wouldn’t talk to anyone at these camps. But about three or four years ago, I finally started opening up. I remember playing table tennis with others and just talking to people, and it really helped me feel more integrated into the math community at the camp.
Another great memory was a competition we had in Banja Luka. It was a chill competition because we knew we were too young to qualify for IMO that year, so me and the other girls just had a great time. I managed to do well in that competition, which was a nice bonus. There’s not a single bad memory from those three days—we were just happy the whole time. We always reminisce about it when we’re together.
