Student Reflection on LearnUs Global Semester

Demi Weggen (ECON, ’21) contemplates her learning experiences after participating in the UIC LearnUs Global Semester Program, an educational exchange initiative jointly organized by UIC and International Christian University (ICU) in Tokyo, Japan.

My Pre-Program Experience

“..Students will travel to Japan and Korea and take classes at the ICU and UIC campuses in Tokyo and Songdo..” Those were the exact words that drew me to apply to the LearnUs Global Semester Program. A fully-funded, educative, and field trip-included program by two great international universities—who wouldn’t want to be a part of it?

I couldn’t afford to miss out, especially after I heard that one of my friends was applying. To be selected for the program, one had to complete an application form, submit an essay explaining their desire to join, and undergo an interview. The waiting period between the document submission and result announcement was particularly unsettling—I was dying to be a part of the experience. However happy I was to learn about my selection, I was quickly hit by the abrupt realization: it was time to start prepping for five weeks in Japan! We began with multiple orientations from UIC and ICU, followed by health forms completion, visa application/extension, and so-and-so to-dos before our departure to Japan.

Only four days ahead of our flight, we got to connect with fellow UIC participants. Some already knew each other, and I was no exception. Despite being an extrovert, the question stands: how am I going to get closer to eight other students? Upon our arrival in Japan, we dived headfirst into sightseeing in Tokyo and co-planning for the following days. By the time in-person classes at ICU kicked off in Japan, a tight-knit bond had already formed among us.

What’s It Like to Study at ICU?

As the semester unfolded, first-week-of-classes anxiety totally gripped me. The prospect of meeting the ICU students in the flesh for the first time loomed large, heightened by a weighty emphasis on participation—both in and outside of class—from every syllabus I perused. As an economics major, I was not used to class discussions, so this program completely thrusted me out of my comfort zone. However, this was precisely what I sought: a venture into new horizons of knowledge and a commitment to contribute to the best of my ability with what I learned from previous semesters at Yonsei.

The classes, whether conducted in-person or offline, were demanding yet worthwhile. Our days started from 8:50 am until 5:50 pm, with a three-hour break in between, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. During this recess, UIC and ICU students often lunched with each other in the school cafeteria. As I had never experienced university lunches before, I was speechless by the affordability and quality of the meals provided, and this shared mealtime also allowed all of us to get to know one another better. Later, our field trip to Nagasaki became an event where ICU and UIC students grew even closer: the trip’s free time created more than enough opportunities for us to go on group walks and collectively explore our surroundings.

What I Loved about LearnUs Semester

My favorites were the trips we made to Kyoto, Nagasaki, Gyeongju, and Jeju. From late-night conversations to guided tours, I had a blast every single minute of them. Our guide revealed exclusive details about places we went to and made sure we had reservations for lunch and dinner. It was refreshing to hear the history of a place from someone else’s perspective.

The Challenges I Faced

Though I was very grateful we got to make so many trips during those weekends, we barely had any time left for schoolwork. Thankfully, we had Mondays off, so those days were always spent catching up on readings, assignments, and group projects. The pattern lasted until our last trip to Jeju: almost every spare minute was spent discussing group projects of every single class. 

Out of all activities, group projects were most challenging (even adjusting to life in Japan was less difficult). I lived in Seoul and others resided in Songdo, so we would meet over Zoom, which was not the best way to get everyone’s ideas across the room. We had to tackle multiple tasks concurrently—four group projects, one essay, one report, and an oral exam—all converging on a single two-week deadline.

Back to UIC

In the final three weeks, we continued with only three out of the five classes, now with UIC faculty, who were so kind and saw how sleep-deprived we were over the intense semester. For the two remaining classes, Literature and History, we had two field trips on Saturdays exploring Seoul and visiting museums, historical sites, and memorials. While both days were tiring, doing these together made the experience thoroughly enjoyable. 

Recap of Our Last Days

We wrapped up the semester with a reunion dinner that brought in the first LearnUs group. Together we shared our most memorable moments and difficulties we faced throughout the term. We then captured the last moments of an amazing semester at a photobooth in Sinchon. Our final two days of classes ensued, and our program officially came to an end. Still, the experience lingers within me. There’s a sense of sadness, knowing that I may not encounter such programs that effortlessly blend fun with education anytime soon. Nevertheless, I am also happy and cannot wait to see how this unique program has contributed to my overall growth. For the last part, I want to give a huge thanks to all students and professors who helped out in the program and I strongly recommend this program to UIC students who seek to study outside the traditional academic setting.

—

Written by Demi Weggen (ECON, ’21)

Edited by Pho Vu (IID, '20.5)