The Songgok Journal, Freedom Writers, and Me

“Initiation of My 20s: The Following Story after Graduating from High School”

Since I graduated my high school, it has been a year. And I have already become 21 years old, a sophomore in university, which is not easy to believe. Corona Virus, including its variants prevailing over the earth, makes us seemingly unaware of the passage of time over two years. As one of the ‘Corona Grades,’ I couldn’t benefit from any college campus last year. And the reality distinguished from dreams I wished did not gratify me at all. When I was 18, I believed the pandemic would culminate or get better next year, seeing seniors whose status was equivalent to today. Most university students enrolled in 2020 and 2021 have never been to their college to take a class except for practical one and had difficulties making mates. I was depressed, but I realized that all the people, not only students, are having trouble simultaneously, then accepting this situation. It has been challenging to act or achieve anything due to social restrictions since 2020. There was nothing but hope for recovery from the condition in the past two years. Letting them pass by to greet a new year, 2022, I hope to be fulfilled gradually. Last year, I was willing to tell some stories regarding my minor university activities for my teacher, club members, and juniors in Songgok Tourism High School.

I am now studying at Kyonggi University in Seoul, specializing in tourism at the Department of Tourism. Kyonggi University has implemented a system that all freshmen should major in ‘Department of Tourism,’ which handles tourism comprehensively. They may select their major: ‘Catering Culinary Arts,’ ‘Hotel Administration,’ ‘Tourism Administration,’ ‘Tourism Development,’ ‘Tourism Event’ when they become sophomores. As a freshman, I took liberal arts classes in priority plus required significant subjects for each semester, given that the detailed major was uncertain. There are many cultural classes with exciting topics such as ‘criminal psychology,’ ‘movie understanding,’ ‘culture of France/Russia/Spain’ etc. But I should have recognized interesting-looking classes are competitive. I considered the system of registering for courses adverse after the failure. Students generally write for them at least one month before the beginning of the semester. It is like ticketing for a top star concert. It is more annoying than you expect and hinders what I want to take. I did not know precisely how to take college classes and didn’t experience inperson ones. Apart from a practical/experiment class, the college’s Zoom and LMS (Learning management system) has led us over the last two years. The biggest strength of the one by LMS is you can take it anytime and anywhere at your convenience.

On the other hand, the Zoom thing was not that comfortable that I had to turn on my camera on the laptop at every fixed time. Additionally, you can meet a lot of debates and team play commonly. It was significantly difficult for me to address tasks online without facing each other indirectly. Some professors used the ‘small meeting’ function on Zoom, randomly arranging students in several cyber-meeting rooms. It made me hard to communicate with strangers exposing my private space every week. Both classes, offline and online, are assumed to have pros and cons. The sorrowful thing was that I could not make some new friends sincerely by studying at home. I attempted to make a mate through team plays and club activities. But I eventual- ly couldn’t make friends the same age. Making friends that I barely succeed will be one of my primary objectives this year. As for my club, I usually enjoy taking pictures with my smartphone, so I enrolled in a photography club, ‘Heegwang,’ for my first club in college. I could learn how to use a film camera during the official visit to photograph and get some helpful advice talking with several seniors. I think this was the most unusual school activity last year.

Aside from the new university experiences, it was remarkable for me to begin my work life. Yes, it is getting a part-time job. I had never tried any work until I was in high school. When I was 18, I got a Barista certificate through the after-school class, assuming closing worker in Hollys Coffee over seven months. I am still working there and making money. By blaming my introverted disposition, it was never easy to greet clients out loud, take an order kindly, treat complaints or inquiries and continue communicating with my manager and other part-timers as staff at first. The awkwardness comes up to me with colossal oppression. I live every day being irritated to make up for my weakness lack of socializing, which resulted in keeping this job for a long time. From the part-time job experience, I could recognize that we cannot obtain anything and an opportunity to consider what communities require me.

Concerning what I am planning in the future, I would like to study overseas as an exchange student going through other cultures with new friends. I am studying hard for the TOEIC test to meet the requirement of the exchange program. I aim to get 800 scores or higher and go to the English language country. Still, unless the record is sufficient, I will tend to select the nation after studying another language, like Spanish. Besides, I became getting a count on hobbies or interests these days. In ample free time due to Covid-19, I have tried to find out what makes me happy and something for fun. Discovering my hobbies and carrying them on also became my goal this year. A few days ago, I felt the dance was most complimentary and readily accessible on TV shows ‘Street Women Fighter’ and ‘Street Girls Fighter.’ That’s why I am interested in dance and motivated to have a dance class after the end of the semester, both just for fun and my wellness. Inspiration provided, I decided to give it a try without hesitancy.

As of 2022, WITH-COVID seems to emerge into society in effect. Being ready to overcome the past, I hope you find your new life purpose, give a dare for it, and make it this year.

Han Da-in