Building good human relationships is one of the most important agendas in human life, regardless of age or position. Lately, the relationship between students and professors is being hailed as the next big talk in Korean society. Media portray some of the professors as criminals with all the press about accusations of sexual harassment and violence, not to mention other “illegal” relationships between professors and students. One consolation for all this sadness is that no such accidents have occurred at our university, Sookmyung. However, encountering such news stories, as a student, I feel resentful and angered. The root of the incidents revolves around abuse of one’s position and authority. However, I do believe that the professors spotted in the news are among the minority, and that most professors are honest and sincere, especially towards students, since all the professors I have met are cooperative and look to inspire their students. I also saw one male professor refuse to close his office door when a female student calls upon him for consultation in order to prevent any feelings of coercive or surreptitious within the student.
Personally, in terms of human relationships, especially at school, trust and trusting are essential. One dictionary defines trust as the belief that both parties in a relationship are honest and sincere and that they would not do nothing to deliberately harm the other party. In this regard, both professors and students should be honest and sincere to maintain good rapport. Lots of students feel professors are busy and overwhelmed with work to show them interest, yet no professor blocks a student from visiting her/his office to discuss school life or possible future careers. Professors are students’ partners, advisors, and mentors throughout their campus life.
Hence, sometimes I visit my department’s professors and ask for help or advices. We talk about whether I should continue with my club activity, which country I should apply for with the student exchange program, and how to write formal letters. Thankfully, they listen to me attentively, support me sincerely, and provide help wholeheartedly. Vice versa, I do not hesitate to participate with activities on mentor-mentee days every semester as the time is a great opportunity for departmental students and professors to meet and engage in special activities. Moreover, I willingly join professors’ research projects as a subject whenever called upon or provide feedback on courses once the semester is over. In this way, with little effort on your part, you can easily interact and share feelings with professors on campus. Unfortunate as it is, the mentor-mentee day will no longer see classes cancelled from this year April. Nevertheless, I hope students knock on their professors’ office doors and enjoy time with their instructors even though it’s not a “special” day.
Koo Kim Gyohyun / Editor-in-Chief
smt_kgh@sm.ac.kr
