April Recap: Spring Has Sprung
April at Seoul National University often signifies two things: the start of the cherry blossom season and the start of the midterm season. Find out how members of the SNU community welcomed the changing seasons through studies and leisure time!
A Flower Path Through Campus
Cherry blossoms, with their delicate pink petals that rain down in showers across the streets of Seoul, are a must-see phenomenon that herald the arrival of spring. Dedicated cherry blossom festivals beckon all, from families to couples to friends. While locations like Seokchon Lake are famed across the country for their brilliant displays of flowers, SNU students need go no further than campus to enjoy the blossoms. A great weeping cherry tree welcomes students and visitors alike at the main gate, making for the perfect photo opportunity. Plum blossoms pass the baton on to their cherry counterparts in lining the paths from the Kwanjeong library to the Humanities and Education buildings. Even trees near the Engineering buildings, known to be colder on average compared to the rest of campus, join in with some late bloomers, though no less beautiful.
Students do not shy away from taking advantage of this opportunity to bask in the warm spring sunlight and enjoy a moment of reprieve from the fast pace of modern life. At the Lawn Square, groups of picnic-goers can be seen with a spread of delicious food, appreciating the blue skies and good company from friends. As the cherry blossoms all fly away in the wind, green leaves adorn the trees instead. A fresh sense of vitality is restored on campus, signalling new beginnings and rejuvenation.
Midterm Season: Hard Work and Solidarity
There is an unspoken understanding in Korea that the blooming of cherry blossoms signifies the beginning of midterm season. This April, SNU students were hard at work studying and preparing for their exams. The newly renovated SNU Heritage Library saw a constant stream of students hard at work in the new, sleek area. Outside of library spaces, many also chose to work at various lounge spaces as well as cafés on and off campus, in line with the Korean ‘cagong’ culture.
In support of the students, many events were hosted on both a departmental and school-wide level. Firstly, shuttle bus times were extended to 10 PM to accommodate those studying until late on campus. Student councils of many departments hosted ‘snack events’, which are offerings of snacks and meals that students of the department are free to claim and enjoy. Organizations from both within and outside school sent coffee trucks and snack trucks to cheer students on and hopefully offer a bit of energy during demanding times. These events will happen every exam season, so all are encouraged to keep an eye out for notices regarding them in the future.
What’s New With SNU?
Every month, there are a variety of guest speakers and community events that happen at school, and this month was no exception. The School of Biological Sciences invited 2024 Nobel Laureate David Baker to present to students about his ground-breaking research on protein design, and SNU MoA saw to the opening of its 20th anniversary archive exhibition Inside / Outside.
The OGA has also been hard at work supporting international members of the community. Thursday Happy Hours at the OGA 1st floor lounge continue to be held regularly, allowing all to freely mingle and network. April also saw the first 152c of this semester, an event that takes place simultaneously with the Happy Hour and gives international members a chance to ask any questions they have about SNU or life in Korea, no matter how big or small the curiosity. The OGA also took international students on an outing to Lotte World, where all enjoyed themselves at Korea’s largest indoor theme park.