Forever Young, Forever Mawr,

We are currently going through the last week of classes for the academic year of 2012-2013…what?! Where did the time go? It seems like yesterday I moved all of my stuff into my room in Denbigh, excited for my second year of college. It’s truly accurate when people say that time seems to move even faster as the years go by…I am in disbelief whenever I think about the fact that I am half way through college. That being said, the school year isn’t completely over, and we are all going through that final push. After this week we will all have to face our dreaded final exams and term papers, and I know that can be tough. Luckily, we go to a school that takes extra care of it’s students, and i’m just going to write a little blurb about some of the things you can do during finals week to keep the stress level to a minimum!

It’s hard, I know! But you’ll feel better afterwards!  (taken from http://kristiesays.tumblr.com/)

1. Get Moving
Did you know that Bryn Mawr was recently ranked as one of the top 10 Healthiest Colleges? I was so delighted when I heard. It truly shows that small colleges don’t sacrifice student health and well-being – we beat out some of the best known schools in the country such as UCLA, Yale and Georgetown! Schwartz Gym is my favorite building on campus – It may not be the prettiest or the nicest, but it’s the building I think of when I need to de-stress. I go to the gym everyday – and I try to mix it up when I can! This year, Kickbox Cardio Aerobics was a HUGE help in keeping me motivated. However, during finals, I know it’s harder to get to the gym, especially with those one or two papers you desperately need to finish, or that one last exam you need to study for. Check for gym times here and being along your book or your lecture notes – 20 minutes on a bicycle machine or an elliptical is better than 0 minutes! Your body and your mind will feel more awake and it’ll help you get going. Sometimes sitting down for hours is what makes it even harder to finish readings faster; You need to give your body a wake up call, and that’s exactly what 20 minutes of cardio can do! If you absolutely cannot make it to the gym, there are tons of exercise gurus on youtube – they offer 10-20 minute stretching/core workouts that will get your muscles going and your mind working!

sugar rush, much? (taken from http://kristiesays.tumblr.com/)

2. Eat Enough, Eat Hearty!
I know it’s super hard to eat diligently during finals week – I am guilty of sometimes skipping a meal because I’m dying to get a paper done. BUT, if you’re going to last the entire week, you’re going to have to eat something better than just candy bars, instant mac & cheese and cheetos. Our dining hall has one of the best assortments of greens and alternatives that a college dining service can offer. It may sound less delicious, but vegetables and fruits will keep you full for longer than a soda and candy bar. If you know you’re going to have a late night, try to pack a take-out box full of celery, carrot sticks with hummus, peanut butter or salad dressing! Your stomache will thank you later. Also, try to cut down on the coffee – you’ll feel more awake, but after a while, you’ll be more prone to crashing down and feeling exhausted once the caffeine wears off. If you need something, eat an apple, or drink some tea – these help you stay awake as well!

you know you want to just crawl into bed and take that precious 30 minute nap… (taken from http://kristiesays.tumblr.com/)

3. SLEEP, SLEEP, SLEEP!
“just pulled my second all-nighter…#YOLO #FINALS2013″ I’m sure you’ve seen these types of statuses on facebook and twitter during finals season. I understand – sometimes, that all-nighter is just unavoidable, and you’ll have to suffer. BUT, if you can, try to avoid not sleeping at all costs! Some people feel proud about being able to stay awake for such long periods of time, but in reality, it really hurts your body and mind. Physically, you’ll be exhausted and mentally, you will have taken away the time your mind needs to re-fuel. Even if it’s just for 30 minutes, take the time to go back to your room, close the blinds and lock your door and sleep. Naps are great! You’ll feel refreshed and your body will thank you for it. By sleeping, you’ll avoid break-outs, bad eating habits and cranky stress-related feelings.

So as all of us wind down and finish up our last one or two classes of the year, I wish all of you good luck on your finals, no matter how many of them you have! Enjoy Haverfest, and Mayday this upcoming weekend – especially the freshmen! Don’t stress about your finals during this weekend – May Day is a way to celebrate successfully finishing up the school year!

Until Next Time!

 This is long overdue, so I thought that i’d spend my morning finally getting around to writing a piece about Reading Terminal! There are a lot of really interesting and fascinating places around Philadelphia, but the one place that I never get tired of visiting is here. It might be because I am literally OBSESSED with trying out new foods all the time, but this food market has so much to offer, I’m confident in saying that it’ll probably take me more than the four years of undergrad I have at Bryn Mawr to truly be able to say that I have tasted everything in that place.

Reading Terminal is a great place to visit with your family, friends and anyone else! It’s indoors so you don’t have to worry about getting wet and there’s a lot of variety in the foods that are there, so everyone will be able to find something that is to their own tastes. The first time I went to Reading Terminal was during my freshman year Spring Break, with a bunch of my friends from Bryn Mawr, Georgetown and Chicago. We had all gone to high school together and had decided to make a roadtrip of sorts up and down the east coast. The day before we set off, we decided to spend a day in Philadelphia and we ended up at Reading Terminal for dinner. The only complaint that I have about this place is that it closes WAAAAY to early…or at least that’s what I think

If there were any suggestions I’d have for anyone looking to visit this place, I would say that you have to visit Beck’s Cajun Cafe, By George Pizza, Pasta & Cheesesteaks, Flying Monkey Bakery, and Bassett’s Ice Cream. If you’re looking for something a little sweeter or something for the road, there are TONS of chocolate and candy stands inside the terminal, and all of the things (especially the fudge) look absolutely AMAZING. I have to say that the cajun food was the best. absolute, best. I’m getting hungry while typing this…I hope that everyone who visits Philly has the chance to visit this gem of a place. I know that i’ll be making a stop by soon!

If you want more information, such as a map, closing and opening hours, click HERE!

Until Next Time!

how i felt when i read the e-mail telling me i got funding for this summer! ahh!                               (credit: kristiesays.tumblr.com)

At the beginning of the Spring semester, I was selected to receive summer funding as an Alumni Regional Scholar! I had applied during the fall semester, with a personal statement, professor recommendations and all. I had almost completely forgotten/given up – and then one day in January there was the email, congratulating me on my selection! The funnier thing is that I didn’t know that I had been selected until early February – the e-mail that contained the news had been put into my spam mail! If I hadn’t gone through my spam, who knows whether or not I wouldn’t known soon enough. Regardless, I am SO thankful to Bryn Mawr, the Alumni Regional Committee as well as my professors that wrote my recommendations. It’s always nerve-wracking when writing an application – whether it be for funding, an internship, externship, job, anything. I’ve more and more come to realize that the older I get, the more applications I have to write. It’s a pain, but it also signifies that I am growing up, and am seen as responsible enough to be eligible for the positions.

I was ecstatic when I realized that I would be provided funds for my internship this summer. Except there was one thing – would I get accepted for my internship?! My mind began to panic as I thought about the possibility of not being accepted into the position I had applied for. Thankfully I had been approved through the application process, and was scheduled for a skype interview. There’s one thing that I don’t like about Skype interviews – it’s weird! Skype is something I relate to friends and family – a way to keep in touch with people that are across the world. It was my first time being interviewed via a video messaging system, and I have to say that it felt unnatural. However my interviewer was more than forgiving about my awkwardness on the computer, and the interview went smoothly. I was still nervous, especially since this internship was not only the only one I applied to, but also because I had the added pressure of my funding. A week later, I found an e-mail waiting in my inbox. I literally waited until that night to open it. I can’t tell you how much happy dancing I did in my room afterwards – I got the internship! It was a huge weight off my shoulders and I immediately e-mailed Dean Barker to tell her that I secured an internship for the summer, phew!

This summer I will be interning at Arirang TV and Radio, which is a major Korean broadcasting station that focuses on educating foreigners about Korean culture and current events. Their programs range from those that focuses solely on Korean Pop music, to documentary-like shows that follow foreigners living in Korea and their adjustment to the culture. I will be working with their Public Relations department, as well as helping out with the Social Media outlets! It’ll also be my second time working for them (I first worked for them the summer before my senior year of high school) so I am looking forward to reuniting with the senior staff that I met before. With the funding that Bryn Mawr has generously given me, I know that I will be able to fully take advantage of this summer adventure as well as learn a lot about a career option that I am very interested in! Thanks BMC!

Until Next Time!

“and may the odds be ever in your favor!” (via http://kristiesays.tumblr.com)

First off, Happy April 1st! I’m still not used to April Fools Day…Being an American holiday, I haven’t experienced it in awhile. It’s officially that time of year – Room Draw is upon us! It feels like just yesterday when I was a freshman, trembling in my pants, worried that I would end up in a closet of a room. However things worked out, and I am currently typing up this post in my lovely room in Denbigh. This year’s theme is “The Hunger Games”, which I think is fantastic and hilarious. There are a bunch of rooming options, and everyone is excited and anxious to learn where they’ll end up for the upcoming school year. Things are a bit different this year, with the Haffner renovations and the exclusion of freshmen from Radnor, but here are some of the options that everyone will have to choose from.

Singles: This seems to always be the most popular option for rising freshmen – I remember I really wanted to have a single. Luckily, my roommate and I had won Project Dorm Room and got really great numbers (#11 and #12!). I got my first choice when it came to dorms and ended up really lucky with the actual room. It was a good change after living with a roommate during freshman year. I learned to become more independent and loved the fact that I had a room all to myself. Last year, the most popular dorms seemed to be both the Pems, both sides of Rhoads and Denbigh. So if you’re a freshman, good luck getting one of those dorms! rising Sophomores choose last out of all of the grades, so there are usually designated rooms that are usually used by sophomores.

Multiple Occupancy: This is the roommate option. People sometimes use this in order to get a bigger room and a chance to live with someone. There are some really nice multiple occupancy rooms in some of the dorms – I know that there is one HUGE double at the end of the hall on Denbigh third. If you didn’t mind living with a roommate, and have someone in mind, this might be the option for you!

Hall Groups: This is a really great option. People who use the hall group system get to have their own separate rooms (sometimes, there are double rooms included in the hall groups) and create a hall group that consists of close friends and classmates. This is a very popular option across the board. No one wants to be separated from their friends, so this is a great chance to make sure that you’ll always be close by. This is also a great option for people who love hanging out with their friends in the hallways – you just have to walk over to the next door and you’ll have someone to hang out with.

Remember that regardless of where you end up – Bryn Mawr College’s dorms have been ranked at the top of the list by many groups and organizations (Dorms like Palaces, anyone?) Make sure you check out all of your options before time runs out – There will be days when you’ll be able to visit other dorms and actually look at the specific rooms that you might have checked off as a possibility. You can check the Bryn Mawr Room Draw site HERE for updates, including priority numbers, class lists, multiple occupancy room options, etc. and remember, may the odds be ever in your favour!

Until Next Time!

I’ve been recently going through my pictures and found some great pictures from my freshman year at Bryn Mawr. Since I had so much fun looking at them and reminiscing, I wanted to share them on this site. Enjoy, and Happy Friday!

Famous Korean girl group, T-ara wearing mini-skirts, a common scene in the K-pop industry (photo from CNN’s article, “No More Miniskirts in Seoul? New Law has South Korea Buzzing”)

While on CNN, I came across this article about overexposure and a new law imposed on South Korean citizens that goes into effect March 22, 2013. Having lived in Seoul for ~7 years now, I was shocked to see this article, and expect that it will have tremendous impact on the population – and what makes me a bit a irked is that this overexposure law is targeting the female portion of South Korea’s population.

For those of you who don’t know much about S. Korea, it is a pretty conservative country. However in recent years, global influence on Korea’s fashion industry has created an outlet for younger Koreans to express themselves via their outfits. This especially applies to the female portion of the population. It wasn’t even 50 years ago when it was thought to be immoral and immodest for a woman to wear skirts that showed the ankles. Entertainment careers such as being a singer or actress weren’t seen as very ideal or prestigious. Nowadays, the pop culture is literally booming, with millions of teens dreaming about being part of K-pop groups, or being part of Seoul Fashion Week. It is because of this that I found this new law so perplexing! With so many of Korea’s youth embracing this social change, why would the Korean government want to do anything to create dispute?

As i spoke to fellow Korean-Americans (my age, as well as older), we spoke about the President, Park Geun Hye, and how she might have influenced such a change in policy. For those of you who don’t know, President Park became the first woman president for South Korea, and was inaugurated this past February. She represents the conservative party. Many know Park Geun Hye as her father’s daughter. Park’s father, Park Chung Hee was president for a significant amount of time during the 60s and 70s, imposing many strict laws pertaining to social issues, such as female conservatism and family dynamics. Many older voters voted for Park Geun Hye in hopes of gaining back some of the more traditional ideals of Korea, as well as returning back to the time South Korea became known as one of the “Tigers of Asia” with its impossibly fast economic progress into the 21st century.

The law comes as a surprise for many and there are definitely those that are going to fight against it. People say that it is imposing on the basic rights of expression, and that it is forcing Korea to return back to an impossibly conservative era. Personally, I do hope that this law is repealed not only because of the imposition it puts on women and their freedom of expression, but also because I think Korea needs to become a more equal society, when it comes to gender. There have been strides of progress, especially when it comes to the career options a woman has, as well as education – This law would be somewhat of a step back in Korea’s journey to becoming a more gender-equal society.

Until Next Time!

There is one thing that I really love about Philadelphia is all of the history – It may not be as abundant as other places, such as Washington D.C. but it still holds importance in United States history. This past week, my friend from Georgetown visited Philadelphia. Being a history buff herself, she really wanted to visit the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. Although I have been there numerous times, I love going back there time and time again.

Independence Hall!

It’s interesting to learn about these historical monuments – I mean, it’s amazing think that history was made in these very places that we are able to tour around today. I really want to keep taking advantage of these historical landmarks around Philly, as well as visit the museums that are available to us as well. As a newly declared History major, I know that there are so many resources and opportunities around the city! Seeing the constitution up close, as well as the liberty bell helped remind me that there are so many things to do in Philadelphia – all I have to do is hop on a train (for free thanks to Bryn Mawr student activities!) and go, go, go! I’m going to be writing a post soon about Reading Terminal Market – another place we visited with my friend – and also my absolute favorite place in Philadelphia!

For those of you who haven’t been to Independence Hall or the LIberty Hall exhibition, it’s at 598 Chestnut Street. There is no entrance fee for the LIberty Hall exhibition, and you can enter certain parts of Independence Hall for free as well. If you want more information, click here for the liberty bell, and here for independence hall!

I have finally declared a major! (woohoo!) I thought the day would never come, but after thinking long and hard about it, I have decided to major in History. For those of you who haven’t decided on a major yet, let me tell you – I understand how hard it must be, to choose one area of study that you want to focus on throughout your college career. Trust me, it was no easy decision for me! Ever since high school, deciding upon a major was something that I constantly pushed back to the end of my “to-do list”, especially since the whole thing felt so distant and something that i would do “once I became older”. Yet, here I am, declared and all – with some pieces of advice for those who haven’t based on what I experienced since coming to Bryn Mawr.

1. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO KNOW WHAT YOU’RE GOING TO MAJOR IN BEFORE COLLEGE! (seriously.)
of course, there are going to be those people who know exactly what they want to do and where they want to be by the time they’re 30. but you don’t have to be one of those people! it’s completely fine if you come into college not knowing what you want to do. In fact, that’s sort of what college is for – it’s a time you can experiment and take classes from here and there, trying to see what you truly love. High school is usually super structured, and doesn’t give as much leeway when it comes to taking classes you truly are interested in. I took the IB diploma program in high school, which required me to take a class in certain areas of study. When I came to Bryn Mawr, I had an idea of what I liked, but seriously, a lot of people change after they go to college. You might come in thinking that you want to be a Psychology major, and end up declaring as a Math major! NO pressure.

2. EXPERIMENT! you won’t know if you love it or hate it unless you try it!
Take the time to take classes from different areas of study. Don’t focus on your requirements all too much – they’ll get done one way or another. (I finished my requirements all except for one by the time I finished freshman year, and I didn’t plan any of it!) By taking different classes, you will truly get a feeling for what you like to do over what you think you like. For example, my high school didn’t offer any Anthropology classes, and so I decided to take one during Spring of freshman year. I loved it! Take the risk of learning something you’ve always wanted to – it will more often than not be a rewarding experience.

3. talk to your Professors and UPPERCLASSWOMEN!  - they’ve experienced what you’re going through!
It might be intimidating to talk to your professors at first – but remember that they are all there to support your academic endeavors – which includes helping you weed through your major options! I’m super duper shy, but it was so easy to talk to my Dean and my professors about my major options. They are the pros and they’re all there pro-actively trying to help you however they can! Same goes for older students – they’re upperclassmen for a reason! They’ve all gone through the same process – they weren’t born with their majors stamped on their forehead! Take the time to sit down and talk (and listen!) about their own experiences – you never know, there might be an upperclassmen who experienced something super similar to what you’re going through now!

4. School isn’t the only place to explore – Take the time to find internships/jobs during the summer that give you a glimpse of what it could be like post-college!
of course, your major doesn’t define you. sure, it’s step towards a more refined path, but still, there are plenty of career opportunities regardless of whatever you choose. Take the time to find internships/jobs during the summer – experience within the classroom is different from what you experience while outside. If you have an idea of what you’d like to do, try to see what kinds of connections there might be between your possible major and your job – it could help you see whether or not you truly want to major in that particular area (or who knows? maybe it will show you that you aren’t really digging that job possibility/major afterall).

I have to say, I am really relieved that I have chosen a major. Personally, it feels like i’ve come full circle somewhat – I started out thinking that I was going to be a History major, and I ultimately became one. BUT! It didn’t mean that there were times that I thought otherwise (Spanish, Anthropology, Political Science were all serious contenders!) And remember, you can always minor in something as well! Picking a major doesn’t restrict you to that one subject – Especially at a liberal arts college like Bryn Mawr – there’s always an opportunity to mix and match. Good luck!

Until Next Time!

of course!

5:35 PM today signified the official beginning of Hell Week 2013! Oh, how i have been waiting for this moment. Hell week was so special and significant to me as a Radnor freshman last year – I literally could not wait for it to start this year. Of course, as a sophomore I am on the other side of things, and all I have to say is – I appreciate my heller that much more and all that she planned for me last year!

Hand-Written schedules! As is our family's tradition! This is what dedication looks like!

For those of you who do not know what Hell Week is, It is a week where freshmen are given schedules and tasks by their “Hellers”, who are usually sophomores. The week is supposed to be the induction of freshmen and newcomers (staff, faculty) to Bryn Mawr. It’s sort of like rush week for the greek system – except Hell Week is waaaay cooler! You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do, so that’s what makes it flexible and catered to all of the freshmen. There are dorm-wide activities and there are school-wide activities. Based on your dorm, you’ll do various things – I was a freshman at Radnor Hall and it was great. I felt really close with the Radnor community and the upperclassmen made it special in that they planned activities that really made you feel part of a tradition and a family. I remember asking my heller – it was nerve-wracking but so exciting! I had asked early, so I waited for Hell Week much longer than a lot of freshmen. I was helled with my roommate and I couldn’t have asked for a better week. This year, I am co-helling two freshmen with one of my best friends here at Bryn Mawr, and the beginning was perfect! Our hellees successfully earned their schedules and I couldn’t help but smile when I saw them laughing and exclaiming “This is so cool! I love Hell Week already!”

My beautiful little Hellees!

Although it is just the beginning, I have high hopes for the upcoming week. I’m excited to see my little hellees run to the Duck Pond, crash the Shipley dance and participate in their dorm dress up. I wish my heller could be here (she’s abroad), but that just makes me even more motivated to pull off a great Hell Week for the freshmen – just as she did for me!

Until Next Time!

It’s been awhile since I have posted on this lovely blog, so I thought that I’d get to it and kick off the new semester with a new post! Winter Break was absolutely wonderful and i’m thankful to have had the chance to go back home as well as visit friends and family during my super long five week break. However, it’s great to be back in the swing of things, here at Bryn Mawr. A new semester means a new schedule, and for some odd reason, it was super hard to finalize my class schedule this year. It might also be the fact that I am in the process of declaring my major and minor, but I had to think extra hard about which classes I wanted to take this semester.

I have to admit – I never really used shopping week to it’s full advantage before this semester. I’d usually have all of my classes decided upon during pre-registration period, and that would be it. However, it was really hard to find classes that I wanted to take during this semester. Not because all of the classes were really bad – there were some that sounded absolutely amazing! But because many of the classes I wanted to take were all at the same time! What a bummer. It’s the most frustrating thing when you want to take two classes, but you can only choose one. However I had to be picky, and in the end I did end up choosing one over the other.

This semester, it seems as though I will only be taking three classes. It’s the first time that i’ve ever done this, so i am quite nervous about it! I’m worried that I won’t use my time wisely, but hopefully I’ll be able to find something useful to do with my spare time. Maybe more trips into the city! I have to say, I haven’t been able to explore Philadelphia nearly to the extent that I want to. Or an externship/internship is also a possibility! It’s great that Bryn Mawr accepted my IB credits from high school though…I don’t have to worry about not having enough credits for graduation…phew! I guess this flexibility is something that comes along with attending a great liberal arts college (as rated by Washington Monthly!)

First Day of School = Winter Wonderland!

On a side note – it is absolutely bone-chilling cold these days! And to add to that, it’s been snowing so much compared to last year! I went back to Seoul this past Winter Break and it was always negative-something-degrees while I was there. It was seriously COLD. However this weather might beat it! It was less than welcoming after being in Los Angeles for the last part of my break. People were wearing shorts and t-shirts during the week that I was there! I remember it being around 80 degrees! (what?!) Anyways, hopefully this cold weather won’t stay for long…or it’ll have hell to pay! (hope that was clever…)

Cheers to the New Year and semester!
Until Next Time!