The biggest change and the most impressive part of the San Francisco semester was the dormitory life. Until now, it was rare for students to encounter each other in everyday life.

We had been staying in residence-type accommodations like Local Stitch in Hongdae, Seoul, living relatively independent lives. Everyone would stay in their own room and live according to their own life patterns. However, in San Francisco, we experienced a typical university dormitory life for the first time where we lived together in the same building and on the same floor. Also, we had roommates for the first time at Taejae. Everything was new.

The famous Saint Ignatius Church in San Francisco is located on campus and can be seen through the dormitory window.

Honestly, at first there was a bit of awkwardness. Whether walking down the hallway, going to the shared bathroom on the floor, or just opening the door, seeing fellow classmates felt unfamiliar at first, but not in a negative way. Because we had previously lived in independent spaces, it took time to adapt to a dormitory environment where everyday life was shared. Life patterns, sleeping times, and ways of spending time in the room were all different. The walls between rooms were thinner than expected and soundproofing was not good. So at first, we were conscious of even small noises, and we would exchange awkward smiles whenever we ran into each other in the hallway.

But as we spent days and weeks together in the same space, this unfamiliarity gradually disappeared. At some point, the scene of seeing someone when opening the door began to feel rather familiar and comfortable.

In the 7th floor common space, the San Francisco cityscape could be seen at a glance and offered a clear, unobstructed view from the window.

This place was used for studying or having conversations, and it was also the central space where Taejae students spent time together the most often.

We would play board games or watch movies on the TV there, and naturally shared how our day went with each other which helped us get to know each other better and grow closer.

Students would often stop by the first floor after classes or programs to play a bit of pool or sit down at the piano during quiet times. I spent an enjoyable time here playing the guitar I had brought from Korea. Thanks to this space, the dormitory was always bustling with students’ conversations, laughter, and the sound of music.

As it was the first time experiencing complete group living, these spaces and activities played a role in quickly narrowing the distance between students and I learned the real value of in-person interactions and offline activities.

We also naturally built friendships with other non-Taejae international students living in the same dormitory building, Toler Hall. There were times when we watched movies together or went out together, and even sang together. These exchanges made campus life even richer.  Since Taejae is a relatively small community, we do not usually have many chances to meet students outside the program. However, through this experience, we were able to interact with many more people than usual, which made daily life more diverse and enjoyable.

Interacting with students from different backgrounds allowed us to feel another aspect of ‘campus life’, and became an opportunity to directly experience the purpose of Taejae University’s global rotation in everyday life outside the classroom.