Midterms at CAU

The fall semester is half way over and that means two things!

1) Midterms for CAU.  Midterms takes place over two weeks. it starts on the second or third Thursday of October and ends one week later.  Midterms here are INTENSE.  There is so much competition and therefore very long hours of studying and preparation.  In America it's normal for us to just study for a passing grade because we just need to graduate from university with at least a bachelor's degree for a good job so studying is more relaxed.  In Korea however, studying = life for the whole month of October up to midterms.  The curfew rule is taken back during the duration of midterms and we can come and go at any time of the day or night without penalty.  For Korean university students midterms are critical and not taken lightly.  Getting a job here depends on your university grades.  The grades you recieve in your classes and on your exams reflect on what your job possibilities will be and therefore everyone competes for the highest possible grade in class.  Walking through 1f in 308 at 2am you will see every study table full of people constantly reviewing information, and even napping.  Students here walk around with study guides reviewing every possible bit of information they can.  During midterms there are also no classes.  This is so that we have as much time as possible to study for our exams.  The exams themselves are critical, very specific and tricky.  I took one in Korean and it killed me.  It was hard and i didn't understand everything on it.  However, that was only one of 5 midterms, the rest have been easy up to this point.  Along with no classes, the E-Lounge and International Office are closed too.  Midterms at CAU is a lot more different than SFSU (the school I came from) but in the end, life resumes and a lot of people like to celebrate that Thursday night after the last midterm has ended.

Here is a picture ofthe study area of 1f at midnight.  Most of the students are waiting to print out assignments and other things to help them study for their upcoming midterms.  I tried to study here one day but nobody moved for hours and finding anywhere to sit is a competition all in itself.  

2) WINTER IS COMING...kkkkk