국제교류처

KANGWON NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

The biggest challenges were not knowing a single person and having to depend entirely on myself when I first arrived in Korea. Even after creating a home for myself here and a family out of friends, I am still the sole person I can rely on. Being independent comes with a set of perks but also huge responsibilities. If anything goes wrong, I only have myself to blame for not being careful enough or not planning ahead.

KNU will forever hold a special spot in my heart as it truly allowed me to bloom. Back in Algeria, I realized I had wasted five years of my life on a major I didn’t even like. Amid that confusion, I decided to challenge myself and apply for GKS a second time after being rejected the first time. My expectations were low because I applied using a Biology bachelor's degree for a Master's in Media Communication. So, to me, KNU gave me an opportunity to start again from scratch. It allowed me to draw my path as I saw fit and recreate myself. I currently have one year left in KNU and am already imagining how hard it will be to say goodbye to it and the home it has become to me.

My ultimate goal is not a specific destination. It’s rather to continue growing. 

I want to be a person who lives passionately and feels fulfilled in the long run. Although I have many academic and professional aspirations, like continuing to hold a high GPA and being an active student on and off campus with extracurricular activities... Etc. I am flexible with the goals I set, and while in Korea, I want to acquire as much experience in different fields as possible. However, at the moment, I am hoping to publish a paper I have been working on with my professor since last semester. It isn’t for graduation but a personal challenge.

I have discussed this with many international students, and we all agree that arriving in Korea with a decent level of Korean language is vital. It will truly enhance your overall experience and make life easier. Besides that, personally, I would also advise anyone interested in studying in Korea to carefully choose their major, double-check if it’s in English or Korean, and keep their university options open. Don’t be afraid to go to lesser-known universities; you might be surprised to realize that top-ranking ones don’t always offer the best experience. One more thing is, don’t be afraid of the unknown. We naturally hesitate before trying new things, but growth only occurs outside our comfort zones. Lastly, make as many memories as you can. This could be your most beautiful moment in life; make it worth the trouble.

While living in Korea, I revived my passion for writing. Korea has offered me the chance to be a freelance writer for magazines, blogs, and websites. I got to learn about the art of publishing, develop my own style, and freely make mistakes. Also, the more you live here, the more you become like a tourist guide for new students or visiting friends. Because Korea is a relatively safe country, I fell in love with jogging at night. You’ll find me at the KNU stadium whenever I'm stressed out. Last but not least, there are so many second-hand bookstores that I couldn’t help but fall in love with reading here, which is something I hardly did back home.