Residential College (RC), a dormitory for freshmen and sophomores in POSTECH, has professors, called master professors, who lead students per each floor. There is a time that all students in same floor gather together and eat meal with their master professor every semester. When students who live in 11th and 12th floors ate dinner with Professor Joo-Yeon Yoo (LIFE) their master professor, she asked something to them. “Do you know who lives next door and have you talked to unknown neighbors while waiting for elevator?” Most students shook their heads and answered that they are reluctant to start communication because they are afraid to be refused. She said “You cannot succeed if you are afraid of a moment of shame. What I really want to say is to live actively.” After hearing this, I regretted my past. When I was a freshman, I went to a party filled with unknown people. Nobody came to me so I left feeling bored, rather than approaching others. People want someone to come to them first. Do not sit alone in a corner. The attitude to go first actively is needed.
It can also be applied to studying. Postechians tend to consider the result when they decide to do something or not and they act passively. There are many contests held by POSTECH and other institutes. Some are free and offer large prizes. But the number of applicants to contests is too small. In addition, some students take only easy and comfortable lectures for good academic grades although POSTECH has many various and interesting lectures. The difference between doing something or not is very big. During preparing something, people get a lot of information and learn how to work. They can also meet many people in various fields.
Experience many things positively and actively. Then, it will have an enormous impact on the future. Prof. Sang Joon Park (HSS) always emphasizes that everything is up to oneself. Although two people spend their campus life in the same university and same department, the results are very different according to how each student acts. For someone, the campus life comparable to the area of a piece of paper and for others the campus life is comparable to the area of a big table.
After graduation, Postechians become members of society who have large impact. So Postechians have to change to become more active as prospective future leaders. To change one’s attitude is very hard and people cannot change in one day. Start by saying, “Hello?” as your first step toward an active life.