[HUFS GSIT] 2024 Korean-English Department Orientation
One day in December, I attended the 2024 Hankuk University of Foreign Studies Graduate School of Interpretation and Translation orientation. It had been a long time since I heard the word “OT,” and at the same time, the reality of being accepted into graduate school filled me with a pleasant flutter.
First, all students from the Graduate School of Interpretation and Translation gathered. After listening to the Dean’s welcoming remarks, we split into our respective departments for the orientation.
One by one, others left, leaving only the Korean-English Department students in the hall. Some people who already seemed to know each other were sitting together, chatting. But around me, the air was just… awkward ㅋㅋㅋ. However, as the most introverted “E” among “E”s, I didn’t mind this situation. (I need time to adjust… just observing… ㅎ.ㅎ)
Photo credit: Class President of the 45th cohort of the Korean-English Department
The professors from the Korean-English Department each introduced themselves and offered many valuable insights for the 46th cohort, who are about to begin their studies. (Above all, all the professors were incredibly charismatic,,,)
D-50 until becoming a full-fledged GSIT student!!! Here’s a summary of the most memorable advice the professors gave during the orientation:
✨ The most important two things are:
(1) Time Management (pacing)
(2) Health Management
Both the professors and seniors emphasized “health.” Since it’s a demanding course of study that consumes a lot of physical energy, exercise is said to be essential. One of my 2024 goals is also to build healthy lifestyle habits! (Like an old fogey, what I say most often to people these days is: Health is the best!) ㅠㅡㅠ It’s true…
✨ Let’s practice the Triple L before admission!
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Learn English
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Live in English
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Love English
It just means to immerse yourself in English…ㅎㅎ This is something that comes up in many GSIT student vlogs/reviews: once you actually start school, you apparently don’t have time to ‘study English’… I’m already scared because I feel like I understand what that means (just being scared without studying).
Now, I’m really going to start studying!!! I’ll invite English into my daily life in the most enjoyable and beneficial way possible so I don’t get tired of it!
✨ Rather than approaching it as “studying,” think of it as becoming a “communication expert”
This advice also resonated deeply with me. It’s about approaching graduate school not just as a place to study interpretation and translation, but as a process of becoming a “communication expert”!
After all, isn’t the job of an interpreter/translator to help two parties using different languages understand and communicate with each other? It’s not just about the language itself; it’s also crucial to grasp the other person’s nuances and connotations to facilitate communication. I believe this is an area that AI cannot replicate, and it’s the very reason for the existence of human interpreters and translators.
Alright - now, let’s act… Let’s act!!!