Tag: Travel

Finals in Korea

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The Stress

While being in Korea, I have realized that you do not have the comfort of constantly seeing your grade as the classes are happening. So I could not check my grade online after every assignment, test, or project. This was incredibly stressful because I am unable to know how well I was doing in the class until I receive the transcript from Korea University, which is sent 2-4 months after the semester is over. There was also lots of stress when studying because I don’t know how I’m doing in the class as well.

To add to the stressful Korean school system, most professors will grade ambiguously. There will be no clear rubrics. The grading in Korea is a lot more strict. If you were to meet all the expectations and do what you needed to do on an assignment, test, or project, then that is considered a C grade because C is meeting the bare minimum; which is poor because you must go beyond expectations to receive an A. In all my classes, every student was struggling because the grading expectations were never clear.

Here is one of my professors explaining how he grades:

How to Prepare

While it is a must for you to explore and have fun while studying abroad, it is important to keep in mind that you are still attending school. For Korea University, the grade you receive in your classes is the grade that transfers to DU; Korea University is not a pass/fail school. If you finish a class with a B, then a B will be transferred to your DU transcript. Another thing is to not skip class. It is a bad habit to fall into, especially when at Korea University because it will cause you to automatically fail a class. At Korea University, I had a professor who would take attendance in every class, if you were absent then you would lose points which really adds up.

At the beginning of school, create good study habits and find the best place for you to study. Around Korea University, there are many cafes that are open late. There are also various libraries and designated study spaces all around Korea University’s campus.

Remember! School in Korea is way more intensive and serious in Korea. In Korean culture, education is super important not only ones’ oneself but to your family, because Korea is a collectivist society, and therefore a child’s education also represents their family.

You Aren’t Your Grade

At the end of the day, as long as you try your best, and learn from the University then you have made the most out of your study abroad. If you do not mature and grow as a person at the end of your study abroad then I believe that you did not make the most out of your time there. Study abroad is the best time to connect and learn from a culture that differs from your own.

Summer 1988 Olympics

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In the summer of 1988, South Korea hosted its first-ever Olympic Games, in Seoul. This was a very big deal globally because there was no political boycotting. The 1980 Summer Olympics was held in Moscow, and then the 1984 Summer Olympics was held in Los Angeles. For Korea, this was their chance to show Korea to a global audience, especially post-Korean War. Before the 1988 Summer Olympics, Korea previously hosted the Miss Universe and the Asian Games.

Fun Fact: The Summer 1988 Olympics was the last Olympics to release real doves. This is due to the fact that many of the doves died due to flying into the cauldron. Besides that, the opening ceremony is very beautiful, demonstrating Korea’s rich history and dreams for the future.

Still to this day, around Seoul, there are landmarks of the Summer 1988 Olympics. Today, many of the sports stadiums are used for events such as concerts. Back in 2019, when I came to Korea, I was in the Olympic Stadium to see a BTS concert.

If you come to Korea, I highly recommend visiting Olympic Park. During the summer and autumn months, it is very pretty and is a wonderful blend of park, landmark, and event arenas.