Smart tips on studying in England
A capture of Kim Sung-ho's work / Courtesy of the British Council
By Han Sang-hee
Studying abroad can be a challenge. Not only does it mean a change in school, but also a drastic change in culture, everyday living and perspective. Korea, being a country where many of its students pack their bags to study abroad, offers a lot of information regarding the transition, but it cannot quite be compared to listening to someone who has actually experienced the whole package.
The British Council in Seoul has been in the forefront of efforts in offering useful and effective information on studying in England and is expected to continue this year as well with various events and projects.
The foreign study story contest organized by the council from November 2010 to January 2011 was one of the many endeavors it had made to bring local students and England closer.
The contest called for interesting and helpful stories among Korean students studying in England in photography and video form and among the some 60 works, the British Council announced three winners last week.
The winning works were decided by content relevance, amount of information, creativity and popularity among Internet users. Putting the quality and content of the winning works aside, the experience of the winners will definitely be a great way to assist fellow students and encourage them to embark on their adventure.
The grand prize for the contest went to the team JOSA, comprised of two members Kim Sa-rang and Jeong Jong-wook, both of whom studied at Aston University. The team's winning photography work was divided into four themes — studying, working, enjoying and surviving — and was considered most helpful to those who were thinking of moving to England to study.
"The reason I chose an English school was because of its educational method and culture. I also thought it was important to know that while England may be a member of the European Union, it still has its own unique color," Kim said.
Meanwhile, web designer Kim Sung-ho, who won the commendation award for his video and studied in London, explained that the classical and modern touch of English culture led him to study design there instead of New York, where design is more turned toward current trends.
In his work, Kim emphasized that studying abroad is not only about scholarly purposes, but discovering one's self and moving on from there.
"There are a lot of students who travel abroad expecting too much or fearing they would be left out if they don't. Learning English is important, obviously, but you can also discover yourself in a world much larger than Korea," he said.
Fellow commendation award winner in photography Kwon Hyuk-in also agreed on the aspect of discovering one's self in England.
The aspiring actor from the Korea National University of Arts who studied at Middlesex University explained that she learned to be more independent and creative by working on school projects. The professors gave basic guidelines enabling students to work on their own, from analyzing the work, assigning the cast, rehearsing and even making their own stage settings. As a result, the students came up with a very original and creative piece.
"Another important aspect is that all of the classes are closely connected to one another. Movement, singing, creativity and design classes were all intertwined," she added.
When asked if they had any advice to students thinking of moving to England, the winners agreed on one thing: Be open-minded.
"When you prepare moving out to study, it's important not to fit yourself into the mold that society tends to demand. I didn't move to England because I wanted to land a good job in the future. I wanted the opportunity to really think about my dreams and goals," Kim Sung-ho said.
Kim Sa-rang added that she learned how to manage her time. "England schools give students the time to think. I took exams and studied night and day, just like in Korea, but I actually had the time to think about what and why I was studying. Studying in England gives students the chance to think and grow on their own," she said.
Visit www.blog.britishcouncil.or.kr. for more information.
sanghee@koreatimes.co.kr More articles by this reporter