Final Exams, Final Stretch
Academics
Time has really gone by quickly on this adventure abroad. I have taken some final exams and some classes have been officially over now. I still have one more final, and one more essay to tackle. I believe grades are announced June 28th.
As the semester is winding down… I learned a lot about SNU and their academic system. It is a competitive environment in which the professor follows a strict grade distribution. Professors are only allowed to distribute 30% of the class As, 40% of the class Bs, and 30% of the class Cs. I asked quite a few Korean Students who confirmed that even if you receive a total grade percentage of 85%+, you may still get a C because 70% of the class size may have done 86% and thus 1% higher than you… You cannot only focus on yourself but also your classmates’ progress. This system has made learn a lot about myself and my inefficiencies compared to other students. It is no longer acceptable to be distinctly average because you realize there are people who will surpass you and thus may take resources and opportunities from you. This system does not only apply in the academic world but also the business world. In order to “survive”, you need to constantly improve against your competitors and not remain stagnant. I am currently taking upon this mindset and hope to apply it to my career and future endeavors.
SNUBuddy, Socials, and Friendships
Last week, there was a ceremony for the last SNUBuddy event of the semester. It was really sad to see this program come to an end. The Korean Buddies put together performances which showcased the many talents of the Korean students. We voted and presented certain buddies and groups with awards like Best Buddy and Best Group. It was very heartwarming to see everyone come together and reflect on everything we have done together.
Even though it is over, I know I will not lose contact with these people. Our SNUBuddy Group 1 will always be open in my KakaoTalk. I also made some really special friendships and after the semester is over, I will be traveling to Taiwan and Hong Kong with some of the girls I met because of SNUBuddy. To be able to find these people who will share these travel experiences with you is not easy. I am forever grateful that I have met these girls and I know that even after these travels are over, we will always find a way back to each other.
Time has really gone by quickly on this adventure abroad. I have taken some final exams and some classes have been officially over now. I still have one more final, and one more essay to tackle. I believe grades are announced June 28th.
As the semester is winding down… I learned a lot about SNU and their academic system. It is a competitive environment in which the professor follows a strict grade distribution. Professors are only allowed to distribute 30% of the class As, 40% of the class Bs, and 30% of the class Cs. I asked quite a few Korean Students who confirmed that even if you receive a total grade percentage of 85%+, you may still get a C because 70% of the class size may have done 86% and thus 1% higher than you… You cannot only focus on yourself but also your classmates’ progress. This system has made learn a lot about myself and my inefficiencies compared to other students. It is no longer acceptable to be distinctly average because you realize there are people who will surpass you and thus may take resources and opportunities from you. This system does not only apply in the academic world but also the business world. In order to “survive”, you need to constantly improve against your competitors and not remain stagnant. I am currently taking upon this mindset and hope to apply it to my career and future endeavors.
SNUBuddy, Socials, and Friendships
Last week, there was a ceremony for the last SNUBuddy event of the semester. It was really sad to see this program come to an end. The Korean Buddies put together performances which showcased the many talents of the Korean students. We voted and presented certain buddies and groups with awards like Best Buddy and Best Group. It was very heartwarming to see everyone come together and reflect on everything we have done together.
Even though it is over, I know I will not lose contact with these people. Our SNUBuddy Group 1 will always be open in my KakaoTalk. I also made some really special friendships and after the semester is over, I will be traveling to Taiwan and Hong Kong with some of the girls I met because of SNUBuddy. To be able to find these people who will share these travel experiences with you is not easy. I am forever grateful that I have met these girls and I know that even after these travels are over, we will always find a way back to each other.
June 10, 2018
First Baseball game!
Over the weekend, I attended my first baseball game ever. I went with my SNUBuddy group and regular tickets were 9,000 won (~8.50 USD) each. The game began at 5:00pm, but I recommend going at least 30 mins early if you want to get seats and sit together, our group had to split up because of the amount of people already there at 4:50pm. I am not a very big sports person and I did not understand what was going on most of the time... I asked a lot of questions but our Korean buddy was very patient and explained some things to me. ^-^"
The atmosphere was amazing, the teams were Doosan Bears vs Samsung Lions. Each team had professional cheerleaders and a stand full of people representing the team colors and team cheers. Doosan were the reigning champions last year so our group wanted to root for the underdog Samsung. However, by the 5th inning, Doosan had already accumulated a 5-1 lead over Samsung. The final score was 6-1 and Doosan had won again. Even though Samsung lost, I still felt the good sportsmanship from each team. I am glad that I got the opportunity to experience my first baseball game in Korea, and I would definitely want to experience one back home in the U.S.
The atmosphere was amazing, the teams were Doosan Bears vs Samsung Lions. Each team had professional cheerleaders and a stand full of people representing the team colors and team cheers. Doosan were the reigning champions last year so our group wanted to root for the underdog Samsung. However, by the 5th inning, Doosan had already accumulated a 5-1 lead over Samsung. The final score was 6-1 and Doosan had won again. Even though Samsung lost, I still felt the good sportsmanship from each team. I am glad that I got the opportunity to experience my first baseball game in Korea, and I would definitely want to experience one back home in the U.S.
May 26, 2018
Experiences, Experiences, Experiences
Throughout these weeks, I have made some amazing friends, had amazing food, drank amazing coffee, and just seen amazing things. I hope this cumulative blog post can help showcase some of those great things I have experienced so far. But there are also many moments where I did not manage to capture photos because I was purely enjoying those moments (I can be very forgetful with photos ^-^") but I know the memories will be with me forever.
Coffee -
- Tastes so much better than it looks~
- Pictured below is probably only 10% of what I actually consumed... ^-^"
- Probably ruined my expectations of coffee when I go back to Hawaii... >.<
Foods -
- Less than 2% is actually pictured
- UberEats: True MVP
- Really inexpensive compared to Hawaii
Chingus ♥ (Friends) -
- All met through SNUBuddy
- I hope I never lose contact with these people
- Hope we have many more adventures together~
Sightings -
- These photos do not do them justice
- A lot of moments are not pictured below, I was just living it~ ^-^
About 5 more weeks until the semester ends... Here's to many more memories to be made~
May 10, 2018
Midterms!
The past week has been midterms week for me and I have been busy studying. The midterm format varies from class to class but mostly consisted of multiple choice and short answer questions. The class structure and exam format is similar to Shidler business courses but the difference is within the students. Throughout the semester, I can really see the amount of hard work and determination Korean students put into their grades. English is not their first language but some of them can speak English better than some people I know back home. I hear stories about how class averages never fall below 90%, and this motivates me to work harder to not fall behind.
Studying methods really varies depending on the person. At SNU, a lot of students like to study in the library and the cafes nearby. The library gets booked solid and cafes tend to be open for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. But I mainly study in my Goshiwon, which allows me the comfort of studying at my own pace, and access to the fastest WiFi speeds I've ever experienced. ^_^
This week, I just received my grades back and Iet's just say I know I can do better. The overall grading is based on a curve depending on how other students do. I understand the competitiveness and know I need to work harder. My coursework will come first and I need to show improvement in the future.
Studying methods really varies depending on the person. At SNU, a lot of students like to study in the library and the cafes nearby. The library gets booked solid and cafes tend to be open for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. But I mainly study in my Goshiwon, which allows me the comfort of studying at my own pace, and access to the fastest WiFi speeds I've ever experienced. ^_^
This week, I just received my grades back and Iet's just say I know I can do better. The overall grading is based on a curve depending on how other students do. I understand the competitiveness and know I need to work harder. My coursework will come first and I need to show improvement in the future.
April 30, 2018
Weekend Trip to Busan
Thanks to SNUBuddy, I was able to meet an amazing group of people and had many memorable experiences so far! One of these adventures was traveling to Busan this past weekend from April 6-8. I have been to Busan before in an organized tour in February but this time it was much different and more enjoyable.
We gathered a group of 11 people, managed to find an AirBnb accommodation to fit all of us and had to find the best way to get to Busan. We opted for the traveling on an express bus because it was only $44 USD roundtrip. Other options would be the KTX or flying, but it would have been triple the price. You can get express bus tickets online here. But it is it necessary to have a Korean Phone # AND a Korean Bank Debit Card thus I would recommend going to the Express Bus Terminal a couple days beforehand and book the round-trip tickets at the counters. Once we booked our tickets, travel time was expected to be 4 hours each way but with traffic and a break, it ended up being closer to 5 hours. During this time in Busan is the Cherry Blossom Festival in Jinhae so we knew it was a must to visit this district. We took an intercity bus (about $10 roundtrip) and arrived near an attraction known as the "Romance Bridge" because of all the cherry blossoms and decorative ornaments. It was extremely beautiful and I would recommend going alone, in a big group or with your significant other!
After exploring the cherry blossoms, the Romance Bridge and the yummy street foods of Jinhae, we went back to Busan to enjoy a seafood dinner at the Jalgachi Fish Market. We had sashimi, mussels, and grilled fish, all for $20 a person. The next day, the group decided to go to the Busan Gamcheon Culture Village but because I had already visited that attraction, me and another friend decided to stay near our Airbnb and had a relaxing day at the Haeundae Beach. We had lunch, walked along the shoreline and collected pretty seashells as mementos of Busan. All in all, this trip to Busan was one of the most memorable trips I've ever had, it was a nice break from the busy city life of Seoul and reminded me of tidbits from Home. ^_^
We gathered a group of 11 people, managed to find an AirBnb accommodation to fit all of us and had to find the best way to get to Busan. We opted for the traveling on an express bus because it was only $44 USD roundtrip. Other options would be the KTX or flying, but it would have been triple the price. You can get express bus tickets online here. But it is it necessary to have a Korean Phone # AND a Korean Bank Debit Card thus I would recommend going to the Express Bus Terminal a couple days beforehand and book the round-trip tickets at the counters. Once we booked our tickets, travel time was expected to be 4 hours each way but with traffic and a break, it ended up being closer to 5 hours. During this time in Busan is the Cherry Blossom Festival in Jinhae so we knew it was a must to visit this district. We took an intercity bus (about $10 roundtrip) and arrived near an attraction known as the "Romance Bridge" because of all the cherry blossoms and decorative ornaments. It was extremely beautiful and I would recommend going alone, in a big group or with your significant other!
After exploring the cherry blossoms, the Romance Bridge and the yummy street foods of Jinhae, we went back to Busan to enjoy a seafood dinner at the Jalgachi Fish Market. We had sashimi, mussels, and grilled fish, all for $20 a person. The next day, the group decided to go to the Busan Gamcheon Culture Village but because I had already visited that attraction, me and another friend decided to stay near our Airbnb and had a relaxing day at the Haeundae Beach. We had lunch, walked along the shoreline and collected pretty seashells as mementos of Busan. All in all, this trip to Busan was one of the most memorable trips I've ever had, it was a nice break from the busy city life of Seoul and reminded me of tidbits from Home. ^_^
April 9, 2018
Course Registration
I registered for courses in late January but due to the competitiveness and structure of SNU’s registration system, I was not able to attain my desired course schedule until now.
Registration Opens
SNU divides the first initial registration into two days. The first day will only allow students with either even or odd numbered student IDs to register. The second day will allow the other numbered students to register. During each of these days, only half of the class seats available will be able to be registered for. And due to the amount of website traffic, the search and filter system WILL NOT be available during the first couple hours of registration. To quicken the registration process, when the course list is posted, I highly suggest going into system search, and filtering and adding your desired classes to your “Classes of Interest” list. You can then quickly register each course from this list on registration day.
My student ID ended with an odd number and I was registering the first day, registration opened at 12pm Hawaii Standard Time. Registration for certain classes was very competitive, I had a “Classes of Interest” list consisting of about 9 courses, and my desired course timetable was made up of 4 specific courses. When it was registration time, the system only allowed for 1 course to be registered per CAPTCHA verification. For the first 2 courses, I was able to successfully register. For the 3rd course, it became full during the first couple minutes of registration. And for the 4th course, it was a “Requisite” course thus registration priority is only given to local Korean students (it was full within a couple minutes). For the courses I couldn’t get, I would need fill out an override form to register for them. In the end, I ended up with 2 desired courses and 2 placeholder courses that I knew I would have to drop in order to override into my other desired courses.
Override Form
When you are dealing with a desired class that is full, you will need to email the course professor explaining your desire to be in the class, request for their permission to override, fill out an override form, attend the first day of that class, obtain the professor signature, and submit it to the Business Administration office during the first week of school. (March 2-9)
When you are dealing with a “Requisite” course prioritized towards local students, you will need to fill out an override form, but you do not need to get the professor signature, you will need to submit the completed override form to the Business Administration office on a specific day of the first week of school (during this semester, it was March 7, 2018).
It is also crucial for you to drop any courses necessary by the last day of the first week of school. It is for the sake of overriding into desired courses and the process is much simpler during this time versus dropping a course after the first week.
Dropping Courses AFTER the first week
I made the mistake of forgetting to drop a course during the first week of school. Fortunately, the class times did not overlap my override courses or else I would have been denied an override. But dropping this class is no longer as simple as logging into the course registration website and pressing delete. It requires some extra steps which are logging into your mySNU portal, going into your class schedule, applying for withdrawal, once you have applied online, you will need to print out the withdrawal form, and get the course professor’s signature, and then submitting the completed form to the Business Administration office before the drop date deadline (April 19).
Registration Opens
SNU divides the first initial registration into two days. The first day will only allow students with either even or odd numbered student IDs to register. The second day will allow the other numbered students to register. During each of these days, only half of the class seats available will be able to be registered for. And due to the amount of website traffic, the search and filter system WILL NOT be available during the first couple hours of registration. To quicken the registration process, when the course list is posted, I highly suggest going into system search, and filtering and adding your desired classes to your “Classes of Interest” list. You can then quickly register each course from this list on registration day.
My student ID ended with an odd number and I was registering the first day, registration opened at 12pm Hawaii Standard Time. Registration for certain classes was very competitive, I had a “Classes of Interest” list consisting of about 9 courses, and my desired course timetable was made up of 4 specific courses. When it was registration time, the system only allowed for 1 course to be registered per CAPTCHA verification. For the first 2 courses, I was able to successfully register. For the 3rd course, it became full during the first couple minutes of registration. And for the 4th course, it was a “Requisite” course thus registration priority is only given to local Korean students (it was full within a couple minutes). For the courses I couldn’t get, I would need fill out an override form to register for them. In the end, I ended up with 2 desired courses and 2 placeholder courses that I knew I would have to drop in order to override into my other desired courses.
Override Form
When you are dealing with a desired class that is full, you will need to email the course professor explaining your desire to be in the class, request for their permission to override, fill out an override form, attend the first day of that class, obtain the professor signature, and submit it to the Business Administration office during the first week of school. (March 2-9)
When you are dealing with a “Requisite” course prioritized towards local students, you will need to fill out an override form, but you do not need to get the professor signature, you will need to submit the completed override form to the Business Administration office on a specific day of the first week of school (during this semester, it was March 7, 2018).
It is also crucial for you to drop any courses necessary by the last day of the first week of school. It is for the sake of overriding into desired courses and the process is much simpler during this time versus dropping a course after the first week.
Dropping Courses AFTER the first week
I made the mistake of forgetting to drop a course during the first week of school. Fortunately, the class times did not overlap my override courses or else I would have been denied an override. But dropping this class is no longer as simple as logging into the course registration website and pressing delete. It requires some extra steps which are logging into your mySNU portal, going into your class schedule, applying for withdrawal, once you have applied online, you will need to print out the withdrawal form, and get the course professor’s signature, and then submitting the completed form to the Business Administration office before the drop date deadline (April 19).
After completing all the above, my final SNU course schedule is below:
I anticipate that at least 3 of the 4 above courses will transfer back to UH and apply to my major requirements. I utilized the pre-approved course list on the Shidler international exchange website to find relevant courses.
March 21, 2018
new Adventures & experiences
Before I flew, I had made a full itinerary of things to do and places to go, and up until this point I managed to accomplish all of the things below and more!
- Visit the Dynamic Maze and Trick-Eye Museum
- Visit the Running Man Museum
- Visit the DMZ
- Eat fresh octopus (known as san-nakji)
- Visit themed cafes
- Visit Busan
- Visit the Seoul Tower
- Visit the Co-Ex Mall Aquarium
- Visit Myeongdong, Insa-dong, Gangnam, many many many times :)
March 6, 2018
SETTLING PROCESS
After arriving in Korea on February 16th, there were a couple of necessary things I needed to do:
Exchange Money (USD --> KRW)
I recommend exchanging some USD at the Korean Airport, I found they had better rates then the vendors in Waikiki. But do not do all your USD because the best rates are actually in the Myeongdong district. I exchanged about 200 USD to make small purchases and load my T-money card.
Purchase and Load a T-Money Card
A T-Money Card is the method of payment for the Seoul Metro Train systems and bus systems. It is highly recommended to purchase one of these at the airport. You can purchase these unloaded cards for about 2,500 – 4,000 won at the convenience stores like 7-11, GS25, C-U, etc. at the airport. These cards will not come with any preloaded amount thus you will need to locate a card reload machine which will be usually be near the card scanners before you enter the rail system. The machines usually only accept Korean Won cash thus it recommended to have some exchanged with you already.
List of Apps I use in Korea (with pros and cons):
KakaoTalk:
The most used messaging app in Korea. As an exchange student who will be interacting with local Koreans, this app is highly highly highly recommended.
Google Maps:
Pros: All English, Comfortable to use, easy interface.
Cons: Walking instructions are not available nor accurate. Subway & Bus arrival times are also very inaccurate.
Overall: I do not plan on using Google Maps on this trip.
CityMapper:
Pros: Accurate Subway and Bus arrival times, Easy to use interface, walking instructions more accurate than Google Maps.
Cons: Walking instructions can be inaccurate: I noticed a couple times, it has told me to cross a cross-walk that does not actually exist. Subway/Bus stop names may only be given in Korean thus you will need to pay very close attention to the number of stops passed before you get off.
Overall: I use this app the most because it allows me to search my destination in English. Subway/Bus directions are accurate (you just need to know to count stops /or read Korean). I also love the interface layout and how easy it is to navigate.
Google Translate:
No need to really explain this one… Any Korean wording, signs or products, take a picture and translate it through this app.
Exchange Money (USD --> KRW)
I recommend exchanging some USD at the Korean Airport, I found they had better rates then the vendors in Waikiki. But do not do all your USD because the best rates are actually in the Myeongdong district. I exchanged about 200 USD to make small purchases and load my T-money card.
Purchase and Load a T-Money Card
A T-Money Card is the method of payment for the Seoul Metro Train systems and bus systems. It is highly recommended to purchase one of these at the airport. You can purchase these unloaded cards for about 2,500 – 4,000 won at the convenience stores like 7-11, GS25, C-U, etc. at the airport. These cards will not come with any preloaded amount thus you will need to locate a card reload machine which will be usually be near the card scanners before you enter the rail system. The machines usually only accept Korean Won cash thus it recommended to have some exchanged with you already.
List of Apps I use in Korea (with pros and cons):
KakaoTalk:
The most used messaging app in Korea. As an exchange student who will be interacting with local Koreans, this app is highly highly highly recommended.
Google Maps:
Pros: All English, Comfortable to use, easy interface.
Cons: Walking instructions are not available nor accurate. Subway & Bus arrival times are also very inaccurate.
Overall: I do not plan on using Google Maps on this trip.
CityMapper:
Pros: Accurate Subway and Bus arrival times, Easy to use interface, walking instructions more accurate than Google Maps.
Cons: Walking instructions can be inaccurate: I noticed a couple times, it has told me to cross a cross-walk that does not actually exist. Subway/Bus stop names may only be given in Korean thus you will need to pay very close attention to the number of stops passed before you get off.
Overall: I use this app the most because it allows me to search my destination in English. Subway/Bus directions are accurate (you just need to know to count stops /or read Korean). I also love the interface layout and how easy it is to navigate.
Google Translate:
No need to really explain this one… Any Korean wording, signs or products, take a picture and translate it through this app.
March 5, 2018