Arseny Popov: "You should not improvise during exams"

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Celebrations of Student Unity Day — 2026 were held at the National Centre RUSSIA. As part of the event, meetings took place with well-known and successful figures. Theatre and film actor, comedian, and showman Arseny Popov addressed students, answered their questions, and shared several practical pieces of advice. The event was organised by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, Rosmolodezh, the All-Russian student project "Your Move" ("Tvoy Khod"), the presidential platform "Russia — Land of Opportunity", the Russian society Znanie, and the Russian Movement of Children and Youth "Movement of the First".

Arseny Popov is well known to young audiences as one of the participants in the show "Improvisation". To those who wish to pursue improvisation professionally, he recommended studying books and practising regularly by forming teams of like-minded people. Responding to a humorous question about whether it is possible to improvise during exams, the actor gave a serious answer. According to him, grades are needed not by lecturers, but by students themselves, in order to understand their real level of knowledge.

"It is better to know the material thoroughly. Yes, a lecturer will see that you seem to know something, but unfortunately only one exam ticket. That does not reflect your knowledge — it reflects how lucky you are. You need to remember that a grade is first and foremost for you, so do not improvise during exams," Arseny Popov said.

The actor admitted that he did not immediately realise what his professional path would be after finishing school, and that his parents insisted he study economics. According to him, already as a student he soon understood that he was drawn to the theatre stage. Having convinced his parents of the correctness of his decision, he devoted himself fully to theatrical art and obtained a degree in "Drama Theatre and Film Acting" from Dostoevsky Omsk State University.

Today, the comedian lives and works in Moscow and Saint Petersburg, while continuing to follow how his home city is developing and becoming more attractive. According to the artist, he is always pleased when someone from Omsk achieves success in sport or creative fields.

"To be honest, I dream that one day I will do something for the city so that a street will be named after me. But so far I have not yet figured out what exactly I should do," Arseny Popov added.

The celebration of Student Unity Day — 2026 was organised by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Russia with the participation of the Russian society Znanie, Rosmolodezh, and the All-Russian student project "Your Move". The event brought together 600 students from across the country, creating a space for professional communication, the exchange of ideas, and inspiration. This year, Student Unity Day is dedicated to the role of young people in the country’s development and their contribution to science, technology, culture, and entrepreneurship. As part of the event, the official launch of the sixth season of the All-Russian student project "Your Move" will take place.