Welcome back everybody! It is time to brace ourselves with the rainy weather, chilly Jeju winds and the harrowing days in front of textbooks, jok-bos, computers and professors. Not that I enjoy spending an average of four to six hours a day in class myself, but nevertheless, I do love fall and I especially enjoy the start of a new semester.

Whether it be retaking a class because let’s face it, a B- is .2 points away from a C+, or rewriting a resume to apply to multiple scholarships in one go, the chance to ‘re-do’ and ‘try again’ is an exciting feeling.

Hopefully, summer was filled with joy as everyone was able escape the average classroom setting. If not, then at least for this month, try watching a movie that you really wanted to see but never had the time (or will) to watch. Find a cozy place to finish that novel that you started back in May. Browse through your local newspaper and do not be shocked when you realize the changes in our city bus transfer system.

As for classes, I say, let us be grateful to be the lucky chosen ones who actually succeeded in signing up for classes this semester. For those who were not as successful…I am sure the school is working on it.

For those who are not too keen about going back to school, I believe that there is a great joy in being a student that cannot be easily expressed in words. I also believe there in most cases, education is a privilege. Plus, right now our job is basically to learn. How easy is that? And as for college students, there is no better experience for us than the typical university life.

What better way to interact with our future co-workers, doctors, politicians and maybe even future life partners? What better way to enter society than with these brilliant educators as our mentors and role models?

We always hear the same things from adults and even from recent graduates, “Oh, how I wish I could be a student again.” Clearly they miss the lives we are living so let’s all try to find ways to start our semester with positive minds.

And, if you are already worrying about the group project that you will probably ending up doing all by yourself or dreading the ten page paper on tectonic plates that is due right before midterms, do not fret my fellow Jeju-NU student! On this month, we have Chuseok, a lovely four day weekend. Five, if you were lucky enough to have no classes on Friday.

Good luck everyone and happy fall!