Final Exams and Assignments
Out of the four classes I took this semester, only three of them had exams. Only two of these exams were in person; one for Korean and one for Production and Operations Management. The latter was the one I was most nervous about. This was my only course that was taken with local Korean students, not just other exchange students. The day before the exam, I holed up in a nearby cafe from 11:30 am to 10:30 pm studying the hardest I’ve ever studied in my life.
Packing & Last-minute shopping
In the last week, I bought some new shoes, had my caricature done, shopped for Yonsei merch and other gifts, got my nails done again, purchased another large checked suitcase in Myeongdong, and stocked up on (even more) Shinee albums!
As the end of the semester approached, I came to the realization that I simply had too much STUFF to bring home. I had two large suitcases and one duffel bag, but even with that I concluded that I would need to ship a box home via the post office (Seodaemun Post Office is closest to Yonsei). I chose the largest size box they had and packed it to the brim with miscellaneous items including extra skincare, books, kpop albums, and clothes that I knew I wouldn’t need for a while. The total cost of shipping was about $60 for a 40 pound box and it would take 2-3 months to arrive by boat. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it doesn’t get lost in the Pacific Ocean somewhere. (Also, depending which post office you go to, they may not speak English at all. I had to whip out Papago when I went. They just make you fill out a form and answer a few questions.)
Lots (and I mean lots!) of rotting
You would think that not having a lot of time left in Korea would spur me to go out every day and make the most of the remaining time here. This was not the case. In fact, the exact opposite happened, where I spent the majority of my remaining time rotting in bed (or just packing) and watching kdramas, only going out for social gatherings or for last-minute shopping.
Here are some of the kdramas I watched in my last couple of weeks:
The Glory: revenge kdrama with a very satisfying ending. Honestly one of the best dramas I’ve ever watched, can’t recommend this enough
Sweet Home: season 1 was gripping and entertaining, although sometimes a bit confusing to follow. Season 2 was a massive downgrade and quite disappointing, but season 3 is coming out soon so I’m looking forward to that.
My Demon: a pretty classic romance kdrama with a predictable plot, I did not finish it.
The 8 Show: very bingeable (only 8 episodes and very fast paced), though uncomfortable to watch at times due to the amount and severity of violence shown. I watched this because a taxi I took once had an ad for the show plastered on the side of the car.
These rot days were accompanied by a full convenience store diet. My go-to meal was Shin ramen with a raw egg mixed in, along with a hazelnut latte with banana milk. On the days I didn't fully rot, I enjoyed lots of yummy meals for reasonable prices while mentally preparing to return to Hawaii with its out-of-this-world food prices.
Final Goodbyes
I spent the last week saying final (though not tearful) goodbyes to all the friends I’d made over the past semester. Shoutout to Seohyun, Noah, Joon, Amina, Eline, Kat, Francesca, and my neighbor in the goshiwon. I made so many amazing memories with these people over the past four months, and the time really flew by in the blink of an eye.
I don’t know if I’ll have the chance to revisit Seoul anytime soon, so for now - 안녕!
Lessons Learned
Self sufficiency
Controlled spending - don't buy useless things
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