upgrading to Seoul class
It’s about a month since I’ve been in Korea, and it’s hard to believe that I’m beginning to find my routines while being here. It took quite some time to figure out what works best for me as I juggle some courses, extracurricular obligations, and an unwavering want to just explore the city. Finding the balance between my academic and non-academic experiences was a result of multiple trial-and-errors, but now that I've gotten into the groove, I'm looking forward to maintaining this balance moving forward!
Additionally, I’ve been getting adjusted to the faster pace in Seoul, where pedestrians walk faster on the streets, public transportation is always on time, and professors expect above and beyond quality work from students. While finding balance took some time, dealing with adjustment wasn’t too difficult, and transitioning out of the vacation mode didn’t feel too much of a chore. Rather, (call me a nerd) I’m truly excited to just be a student and to enjoy the academic and not-so-academic facets of my time abroad. I really enjoyed getting into the groove, and while I’m not Korean, it’s starting to truly feel like I’m a citizen of this country.
It’s about a month since I’ve been in Korea, and it’s hard to believe that I’m beginning to find my routines while being here. It took quite some time to figure out what works best for me as I juggle some courses, extracurricular obligations, and an unwavering want to just explore the city. Finding the balance between my academic and non-academic experiences was a result of multiple trial-and-errors, but now that I've gotten into the groove, I'm looking forward to maintaining this balance moving forward!
Additionally, I’ve been getting adjusted to the faster pace in Seoul, where pedestrians walk faster on the streets, public transportation is always on time, and professors expect above and beyond quality work from students. While finding balance took some time, dealing with adjustment wasn’t too difficult, and transitioning out of the vacation mode didn’t feel too much of a chore. Rather, (call me a nerd) I’m truly excited to just be a student and to enjoy the academic and not-so-academic facets of my time abroad. I really enjoyed getting into the groove, and while I’m not Korean, it’s starting to truly feel like I’m a citizen of this country.
the unplanned academic plan
After a quick consultation with my academic advisor at the start of semester, I discovered that two of my enrolled courses would not help me to be on path to my expected semester of graduation. My BUSS 402 (Management Strategy) class would transfer back as BUS 367G, but since I’m not a Management major, this elective would not count towards any of my HRM, MKT, or IB credits. Additionally, my EDUC 282 (Program Planning for Lifelong Learners) class would not transfer back as an upper division elective or as an HRM elective. Because of these reasons, I opted to drop these courses during the add-drop period. Fortunately, I was able to add another class that would count towards my IB major: BUSS 325 (BUS 367I) Korean Business & Management in the Asian Context.
Now that my course registration is officially finalized, here are the courses that I am officially enrolled in:
So here’s an important lesson to any Shidler student planning to go abroad: work closely with your academic advisor in determining what classes will help be on track with your academic plan. Got any doubt or uncertainty about course equivalencies? Ask questions early! Once the semester commences, it becomes extremely difficult to drop and add courses, so plan early!
As the semester progresses, I’ll provide updates as to how my classes are going and how the coursework is like. I’ll tell you now: Korea University classes are quite engaging yet pretty challenging!
After a quick consultation with my academic advisor at the start of semester, I discovered that two of my enrolled courses would not help me to be on path to my expected semester of graduation. My BUSS 402 (Management Strategy) class would transfer back as BUS 367G, but since I’m not a Management major, this elective would not count towards any of my HRM, MKT, or IB credits. Additionally, my EDUC 282 (Program Planning for Lifelong Learners) class would not transfer back as an upper division elective or as an HRM elective. Because of these reasons, I opted to drop these courses during the add-drop period. Fortunately, I was able to add another class that would count towards my IB major: BUSS 325 (BUS 367I) Korean Business & Management in the Asian Context.
Now that my course registration is officially finalized, here are the courses that I am officially enrolled in:
- BUSS 325 (BUS 367I) Korean Business & Management in the Asian Context
- BUSS 313 (MGT 342) International Business Management
- BUSS 311 (MGT 341) Organizational Behavior
- BUSS 407 (MKT 372) New Product Development
So here’s an important lesson to any Shidler student planning to go abroad: work closely with your academic advisor in determining what classes will help be on track with your academic plan. Got any doubt or uncertainty about course equivalencies? Ask questions early! Once the semester commences, it becomes extremely difficult to drop and add courses, so plan early!
As the semester progresses, I’ll provide updates as to how my classes are going and how the coursework is like. I’ll tell you now: Korea University classes are quite engaging yet pretty challenging!
campus finds
There is not a single day where I am not amazed at how beautiful the Korea University campus is. Each day that I’m on campus, I’m in full admiration of the stunning architecture and design, and I’m still discovering cool features every time I explore the campus. During the second week of the semester, I finally received my official welcome package which included my student ID, granting me further access to other cool spots around campus. Let me show you some cool finds at the KU campus! SK Future Hall, Libraries, & Reservation Systems. SK Future Hall is one of my favorite campus buildings because of its sleek and modern design, and the optimal environment for getting work done. Ever wandered into a library wanting to study and work only to find no available desks or seats? I rarely think KU has this issue as they provide reservation systems for seats in libraries, study halls, and even for group study rooms. |
Ono Grindz. There are numerous eateries and food shops around campus, and to my surprise, they are all pretty cheap and pretty delicious. Near the KU Uni-Store, you’ll find a few cafes as well as a Burger King and a homestyle Korean eatery. Move over into the neighboring building, SK Future Hall, there are two Korean restaurants, with one of them specializing in Japanese-Korean fusion.
coffee culture
If you’re a coffee lover, then you’ll love Korea. There are so many cafes around Seoul, and its practically impossible to not find a coffee shop. I don’t drink much coffee myself as I drink more for taste than caffeine. But there’s one aspect of the coffee culture that I very much appreciate in Korea: the café lifestyle.
Because many classes are now held online, many university students flock to various cafes to tune in to their virtual lectures. I even came across a professor who was lecturing virtually from a café! I absolutely enjoy going to cafes as the unique mixture of the smell of coffee and the productive ambient vibe lure me into astonishing levels of unprecedented productivity. Perhaps seeing everyone in a café working so diligently causes me to work diligently too.
For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been hopping from café to café in search of two vital things: an open seat, and an outlet (since my laptop battery is weak and needs constant charging). As I hopped from café to café, I rediscovered my keen interest in small business cafes over large chain corporations. The small cafes that I’ve been to offer tasty and delicious desserts in addition to coffee, and having to resist buying a slice of cheesecake every time is a constant internal battle of mine.
One of my favorite cafes so far is Café J, which is a 5 minute walk from where I live. And no, it’s not my favorite just because the letter J is in it. I’ve found to love this coffee shop as the coffee is brewed really well, there’s an assortment of tea, and their cheesecake is from heaven. (Sorry, I don’t have any photos because I always eat the cheesecake before I even remember to take a picture.) Students who come to this café tend to spend more time studying than talking stories, and the playlist in the café (soothing K-R&B) is pretty ideal for my tastes.
Probably the one thing that I observe most in coffee shops is the amount of trust that people have in other people. As people leave their spots for a bathroom or smoke break, they leave all their belongings unattended without even asking someone to watch over them. How cool is that? I’ve witnessed someone leave their spot for more than 20+ minutes with their fancy technologies and accessories left wide open, and not a single person even dared to opt for the chance to steal. Let’s hope I don’t become too comfortable with this habit and bring it back to Hawaii where the outcome would be drastically different!
If you’re a coffee lover, then you’ll love Korea. There are so many cafes around Seoul, and its practically impossible to not find a coffee shop. I don’t drink much coffee myself as I drink more for taste than caffeine. But there’s one aspect of the coffee culture that I very much appreciate in Korea: the café lifestyle.
Because many classes are now held online, many university students flock to various cafes to tune in to their virtual lectures. I even came across a professor who was lecturing virtually from a café! I absolutely enjoy going to cafes as the unique mixture of the smell of coffee and the productive ambient vibe lure me into astonishing levels of unprecedented productivity. Perhaps seeing everyone in a café working so diligently causes me to work diligently too.
For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been hopping from café to café in search of two vital things: an open seat, and an outlet (since my laptop battery is weak and needs constant charging). As I hopped from café to café, I rediscovered my keen interest in small business cafes over large chain corporations. The small cafes that I’ve been to offer tasty and delicious desserts in addition to coffee, and having to resist buying a slice of cheesecake every time is a constant internal battle of mine.
One of my favorite cafes so far is Café J, which is a 5 minute walk from where I live. And no, it’s not my favorite just because the letter J is in it. I’ve found to love this coffee shop as the coffee is brewed really well, there’s an assortment of tea, and their cheesecake is from heaven. (Sorry, I don’t have any photos because I always eat the cheesecake before I even remember to take a picture.) Students who come to this café tend to spend more time studying than talking stories, and the playlist in the café (soothing K-R&B) is pretty ideal for my tastes.
Probably the one thing that I observe most in coffee shops is the amount of trust that people have in other people. As people leave their spots for a bathroom or smoke break, they leave all their belongings unattended without even asking someone to watch over them. How cool is that? I’ve witnessed someone leave their spot for more than 20+ minutes with their fancy technologies and accessories left wide open, and not a single person even dared to opt for the chance to steal. Let’s hope I don’t become too comfortable with this habit and bring it back to Hawaii where the outcome would be drastically different!
da grindz pt. 2
In continuation of “da grindz” section from the last chapter, I’m here again just dumping photos of all of the good food that I’ve been eating. In the previous chapter, I also spoke about what I love about the dining culture in Korea, and after dining out more, I’ve learned to love three additional things:
In continuation of “da grindz” section from the last chapter, I’m here again just dumping photos of all of the good food that I’ve been eating. In the previous chapter, I also spoke about what I love about the dining culture in Korea, and after dining out more, I’ve learned to love three additional things:
- Waiters and waitresses will leave you alone unless you call them. It is very common for diners to simply just call over a waiter or waitress, and it isn’t considered rude to do so. Some places even have a built-in call button on the tables. I really enjoy this because I always hate when a waiter or waitress checks in on me while my mouth is stuffed with food! Here’s to dining in peace!
- A small pitcher of water is given with every meal. Ever hate when you run out of water and have to wait for someone to come around to refill it? In Korea, you will simply receive a small pitcher of water, which is often more than enough to last you for a meal. Again, here’s to dining in peace without being bothered by waiters!
- You don’t need to wait for the check. At most places, you simply walk to the register and pay for your meal. No need to sit around impatiently waiting for a check to come around. I’ve also noticed that splitting checks between individuals is common - just let the cashier know and they’ll gladly and easily split the check amongst other diners.
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slight vacation mode
School started, but it’s not stopping me from exploring more of Seoul. Here are some places that I’ve been to as I continue to explore cool places around Korea! Though not much, I made time to visit Myeongdong Cathedral, Namsan Tower & Seoul Tower Plaza, K-Star Road and Seoul Seolleung Royal Tomb & Jeongneung Royal Tomb. Photos below!
School started, but it’s not stopping me from exploring more of Seoul. Here are some places that I’ve been to as I continue to explore cool places around Korea! Though not much, I made time to visit Myeongdong Cathedral, Namsan Tower & Seoul Tower Plaza, K-Star Road and Seoul Seolleung Royal Tomb & Jeongneung Royal Tomb. Photos below!
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chapter close
I find it unbelievable that I’ve been in Korea for little over a month now. Felt like yesterday when I was freaking out about leaving the country. But it seems that though I’ve left home for a while now, Korea is feeling more and more like my new home.
Speaking of home, many Korean citizens will be staying home with their families over the next few days. As I am writing this, the upcoming Korean national holiday, Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving) takes place this week. I’ll have three days off from classes, and I’m eager to make use of it before the semester picks up. Stay tuned for upcoming adventures!
I find it unbelievable that I’ve been in Korea for little over a month now. Felt like yesterday when I was freaking out about leaving the country. But it seems that though I’ve left home for a while now, Korea is feeling more and more like my new home.
Speaking of home, many Korean citizens will be staying home with their families over the next few days. As I am writing this, the upcoming Korean national holiday, Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving) takes place this week. I’ll have three days off from classes, and I’m eager to make use of it before the semester picks up. Stay tuned for upcoming adventures!