패컬티 칼럼
It is again that time of the year when we meet freshmen on the campus. I earnestly welcome and wish to share a piece of thoughts with you.
People say the freshman year in college is the best time of your life. You are young; you have lots of free time and are full of energy. You can get and do whatever you want. That's very true. Trust me. I've been there myself.
Yet, as you all know, springtime does not last long. It is short; it passes while we are unaware of its passing. The heat wave of summer comes without notice. If you are too excited to enjoy the springtime, let me forewarn you before you embark on what they call tumultuous college years.
College years are precious because it is brief. Freshmen year, especially, goes by quick. Time seems to go slow when you do not actively seek for something you care about. Later, you will see those idle times go by quick as a flash, literally, because idle times do not leave a trace. So, if you think you have too much time that means you are wasting time or you are doing something not on purpose. Living a purposeful life could not be boring and weary.
You may wander in the unknown field as a freshman. Wandering itself is not bad, not wasting time, for the meaning of life does not come to you like a ready-made commodity. You would find a purpose of your life by wandering, questioning and exploring the unknown. You need to experience, for yourself, what human relations are, what people want you to do, what makes people happy and suffer and what you really want to do. You’ve got to experience and learn, among others, what true love is. By true love, I mean not only love between different sexes, but, more importantly, a strong affection of all the living around you. “That living” could be a person, a flower, the sky, a relationship, or something more sublime, such as humanity, peace or your community.
Strong affection comes mostly from within, from ‘your own’ reflection on yourself, your aspiration and your encounters in everyday life. For your own reflection, reading about others’ reflections is a great help. To know that others struggled with the very things you are struggling with will assure you that your problems are not unique and that your struggle is not meaningless. What they found as a result of struggle will guide you when you feel disoriented and disregarded by others. Reading is an excellent substitute for actual experience, a reliable compass in the unknown territory.
Spring comes from the word, “springen” which means “to leap, to burst forth.” I wish you all leap to your dreams in the springtime of your life. Just remember that to leap toward a goal, you have to reflect on you, your loved ones and your surroundings seriously and thoughtfully.
By Lee Yung-chul, Professor, Department of Public Administration
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