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Taejae Moments

By Dohyeong Lee (TJ23)

By Dohyeong Lee (TJ23)

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I took this photo on the plane departing from San Francisco, and heading to New York, where the next global rotation takes place. The cloud covering San Francisco reminded me of the foggy weather. The weather in San Francisco was very dynamic; one day you would experience the nicest weather you would ever see in your life; then the next day, the whole city would be covered in fog. However, the weather wasn't the only thing that I saw in this scenery. I saw the glimmer of goals that I had promised myself to achieve in San Francisco, which I couldn't. Instead, I gained something else, something which I never expected to gain. San Francisco was the first city that I had visited in the US. It let me learn many things that were directly opposite to my own way of life and mindset.

The city was my campus; it had been my home for four months, whether I liked it or not. And while the city faded away from my sight, I finally realized that it was never a city that belonged to me, or to anyone else; it simply existed as San Francisco itself.

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By Aden Amarmandakh (TJ24)

By Aden Amarmandakh (TJ24)

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I personally have mixed feelings about the idea of AI replacing creative work, but my visit to Amorepacific (아모레퍼시픽) World Headquarters showed me a different perspective. At Amorepacific, AI is not used to eliminate creativity but to support it by handling time-consuming tasks, allowing the team to focus more on the creative aspects of producing each issue.

At Taejae University, communication and collaboration are emphasized as one of six core competencies. Seeing how these skills are practiced in a professional setting helped me to understand their real-world significance, especially in corporate culture. Observing Amorepacific’s collaborative environment made me realize that these competencies are not just buzzwords, but practical tools that shape outcomes.

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By Grace Oh (TJ24)

By Grace Oh (TJ24)

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Living in the United States, I was struck by how much clearer the night sky appeared compared to Korea. Even in San Francisco, the stars looked quite vivid on clear nights. During winter break, I took the Amtrak train to New York, and the trip coincided with the peak of the Geminid meteor shower, allowing me to spend the night watching the sky.

That night, the sky seemed unusually full of stars, and I counted 66 meteors. Although I could not capture the moment in photographs, the memory remains even clearer because I was fully present, focused only on the night sky. This experience made me realize that even during a busy semester, taking a moment to pause and look up at the stars can be very meaningful and mentally grounding.

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By Dohyeong Lee (TJ23)

By Dohyeong Lee (TJ23)

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This is the view through the window of my USF dorm room, where I sometimes looked outside when times got too tough. When I took this photo, I was so tired of the repeated schedule, studying day after day, as final exams drew to a close. I managed to resist storming out of the room, but I couldn't concentrate at the same time. I was exhausted.

The sunset was especially beautiful that day. While staring at it, I realized that I also wanted to end this day beautifully, as well as this semester. What would be a beautiful ending to this semester? Is a good result on the final exam a good ending?

I remember that day, looking back at myself and at my time at USF, searching for a good answer for how to end my day in San Francisco.

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