With only one month left, the semester is nearing its end with winter vacation just around the corner.
Many college students in Korea look forward to vacations every year but simultaneously feel pressured to be productive or try something new with no idea what to do. As a 4th-year university student, these are 3 activities I would recommend you try out this winter vacation!
1) Volunteering in Korea or abroad
Volunteering at first glance may sound like the last thing you want to do, but I can genuinely say that volunteering abroad was one of the best memories I have during my time at university.
Korean universities offer a variety of opportunities for students to volunteer either domestically or internationally.
For example, Seoul National University(SNU)’s Institute for Global Social Responsibility(SNUSR) recruits undergraduate and graduate students every summer and winter.
The locations vary from Korean cities such as Gunsan and Uljin to countries such as Uzbekistan, Indonesia, and Jordan. The activities also differ by each program, ranging from education such as teaching students at a kindergarten or elementary school, assisting in medical work, or engaging in cultural exchange activities with the locals.
When I was a freshman, I volunteered in a two-week program in Samarkand, Uzbekistan to teach children in a local kindergarten and it still is one of the most meaningful experiences I’ve had to this day.
It taught me the importance and joy of giving back and how to communicate and cooperate with others more effectively. It also introduced me to the culture and language of Uzbekistan while giving me the opportunity to bond with the other volunteers.
University clubs also often provide volunteering opportunities, such as “Phronesis” of SNU which organizes volunteering programs to teach at schools in rural areas.
If the university you attend doesn’t provide volunteering opportunities, World Friends Korea organized by KOICA(Korea International Cooperation Agency) recruits college students every summer and winter.
