Have you ever seen the Leadership festival? That event was introduced as one of SMU’s many clubs. Many Korean students often know about clubs, but do many foreign students at SMU know those clubs? The Sookmyung Times (SMT) met four students at SMU to investigate.
PEACE I have joined many clubs at my school, Mississippi College – located in Clinton, Mississippi, USA. I have joined International student Fellowship. This organization seeks to appease the recent international students of Mississippi College. American students cater to the needs (spiritual and physical) of the international students. With games, shopping and conversation, we aim to befriend the students, in order to make their time at Mississippi College enjoyable.
YONG Yes, I have studied in an English club, Big Mouse. There, we spoke English to one another. Also I have joined a picture club and a drawing club.
MEG I am part of the Drama Club and have performed one show which was a combination of acting and dancing. I was the lead actress and also choreographed for the show.
PARK Yes I did join the club in my school. It’s called, “Sookmyung Medical Volunteer” but, I didn’t do anything in it yet’ because I started the activity in the second semester. I don’t really know what I will be doing in this club, but I am very much looking forward to doing something in this club.
SMT Do you know Sookmyung Women's University's many clubs? Are you interested in them?
PEACE I do not know SMU clubs. So, I am not interested in them, being that I have only one month in Korea.
YONG I’m interested in S.O.Phi.A. They played pretty well. I was very touched. Also, SOOKPONG which plays traditional Korean music was impressive. Moreover, in China, clubs don’t improve, so I’m interested more.
MEG I only know of the group of students who help assist international students. They help international students a lot. Also, I like that the clubs here focus heavily on developing leadership skills.
PARK Yes, I know many clubs at SMU. Since I entered this school, a few weeks later there was an event called ‘HaeOrum Jae’(‘Hae’ means sun, ‘Orum’ means rising and ‘Jae’ means festival). It lets the freshmen like us to know much information about the clubs. I was surprised to know that there were so many clubs at SMU. After I found out about what kinds of clubs there were, I started to become interested in some of them. Especially because I’m in the school of English, I was mostly interested in Translation Corps. However, I want to be in this club after I get to study English more.
SMT If you join the club, what sorts of clubs do you want to join?
PEACE I would love joining a Human Rights club, Gay Rights club and an International Relations club.
YONG I love drawing and dancing. During doing that, I feel happy and free. So I want to enter a drawing club and the dancing club MAX.
MEG I look for clubs which provide a lot of social events in order to meet new people. I also seek clubs which help me with career or personal development.
PARK I want to be in the orchestra or a cappella club if I get a chance. Because I like music and I often enjoy listening to classical music. Our school’s club, S.O.Phi.A is awesome!
SMT If you decide to enter a club, what do you most worry about, atmosphere? Or what?
PEACE The thing that I would worry about the most is the atmosphere – feeling comfortable enough to express my ideas to everyone in the club.
YONG It doesn’t matter for me. The reason is students in SMU are very kind and pretty. They always help me a lot. So I’m happy together with them.
MEG Time management would be my biggest worry. Many clubs need much of my time. This is why it’s hard for me to enter a club. Atmosphere doesn’t matter. It is so much a smaller thing than the time problem.
PARK I think the most important thing is relationships with people. So when freshmen decide to enter a club, some might really want to do what the club does, but some might be interested in getting friendly with other freshmen and some seniors.
SMT What things do you think should be intensified in SMU's clubs?
PEACE I believe that Sookmyung's clubs should stress friendship between all the girls here. Especially seniors and freshmen in clubs could communicate more than now.
YONG I think clubs should be advertised more. It will be good to both students and SMU’s clubs. Many of my fellow students don’t know SMU’s clubs well. Also like SOOKPONG, they perform their advantages a lot. It can fascinate students.
MEG I think within any university, there are always rooms for improvement in regards to the array of clubs on offer. However,I feel that the clubs at Sookmyung honor the schools’ objectives and help facilitate the education of their students.
PARK I think the ideology of SMU is leadership of women. That's why there are many leadership groups formed. So many clubs should be active in and out of school to show people that women can be leaders.
