Writing to you from a 24-hour cafe in Sinchon, I’m here to talk about my experience having been at Yonsei University for one month.
I’ll be honest, this isn’t my first time studying here. As a proud alum of the 2024 Yonsei International Summer School (YISS), coming back to Yonsei felt like returning home in many ways. I knew the hot spots, the places to eat, and the routes to take. Before returning to South Korea, I asked myself what I wanted to make of this experience. Since I’ve seen so much of Seoul already, I wanted to force myself to explore beyond what I already knew. It was up to me to find novelty in the familiar.
A New Academic Experience
This semester, I knew for sure that I needed to improve my Korean skills. I made sure to enroll in the “Intensive Korean Language” at the famous Korean Language Institute. Known for being rigorous and unforgiving, I was initially scared to take a course at KLI, but I knew that this push would benefit me during my stay here in Korea. What better place to take a Korean language course when the entire city is a resource to practice?
Korean class has been quite the adjustment. Never in my life have I taken a class taught in an entirely different language. At UT, I had it easy with the mode of instruction being in English, but here, it’s a completely different story.
I remember my first day of class feeling a bit stressed out. Listening to my teacher speak tested every ounce of Korean knowledge I’ve accumulated throughout my language learning journey. Honestly, I almost wanted to cry. As the course progressed, I started to get used to it; before long, my progress began to reveal itself in my daily life.
Escaping the City
When people think of South Korea, I think they often tend to picture Seoul or perhaps even Busan as the places that encapsulate it all. Honestly, there’s so much more to South Korea than just this.
Prior to the semester starting, my friends and I went on a day trip to Suwon. Located just an hour away, Suwon felt like a peaceful break from the hustle and bustle of Seoul. As a Texan, going on this trip with my friends felt like a scene from a slice-of-life movie. While it’s true that road trips and getaways within Texas can be good bonding moments, I would argue that there is a really nice charm in taking a train to the countryside of a really beautiful country. Coming to Suwon felt so youthful.
Finding New Within Korea
One of the best parts about this semester is that I get to experience the famous Yonsei University vs Korea University Games also known as the Yon-Ko Games. If anyone has watched the K-Drama “Cheer Up” or has researched anything about — Yonsei University, they would know that the Yon-Ko Games are probably one of the most exciting parts of the Yonsei student culture. The iconic blue vs. red (the respective school colors) motif throughout this entire competition truly captures the competitive and energizing spirit of Korean university culture.
Honestly, I was a bit sad to miss out on college football this semester, but this event filled that empty space for me. When I put into perspective these experiences only come once in a lifetime, I made sure to cherish these moments even more.
Before the start of the games, Yonsei and Korea University hold a cheering event where students come together to sing traditional songs to initiate the competitive ambiance. This year, the cheering event was held on a rainy day. Although some may argue that rain takes away from the experience, I thought it made it all the more enchanting.
This experience reignited my love for Yonsei. I think that, over time, any student gets used to the campus and starts to find it a bit dull; moments like these remind me why I love this school, even though I’m only here temporarily. At the end of the day, we’re all just students wanting to have fun in the midst of a long journey.
This post was contributed by Joshua Mendoza, Global Ambassador for Fall 2025. Joshua is a College of Natural Sciences Junior participating in an exchange program at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea.
