Go Forward

Student Interview: Siwon Ji

1. Why did you choose Japan to study abroad?
Japan is a really good choice for English speakers in Asia—even if I can’t speak Japanese very well I can live here. Also, I could get my bachelor`s degree in Tokyo, one of the biggest cities in the world.
The Japanese government provides many scholarship programs. I received a scholarship from the Japanese government for my first year in University, and for my second and third years I received a scholarship from the University. There are good scholarship programs for foreign students.

2. Why did you choose the English Track course at the Meiji School of Global Japanese Studies?
At the time that I decided to go to university, I did not have a clear idea of my career path or future. I wanted various courses to learn.
Global Japanese Studies is attractive for me because there are many programs, especially global programs from different faculties. The School also provides a Japanese program which was really good for me and has helped me a lot.

3. Please tell us what you are currently studying. What you have experienced through your campus life so far?
As for my seminar studies, I am currently in a Japanese seminar called ‘日本企業の研究’ (Research of Japanese companies), studying Japanese corporation history, manufacturing systems, and marketing systems.
My campus life is good. Although I left to Korea for a year because of covid, my friends have always welcomed me well and we spend lots of time together. We go to hanami every year, and we have visited each other`s home towns.
In my case, all of my English track friends are Japanese, so they introduce me to all the good places, good food, and Japanese culture in general. I really love to hang out with them and I really love them!

4. Tell us about your experience of living in Japan.
It has been a great experience for me, because it was my first time living by myself. At first it was very tough because I could not speak Japanese at all. I spent a lot of time with my friends and also had a part time job where I used Japanese.
Now I think I’m more familiar with living in Japan then Korea—sometimes I feel awkward when I go back to Korea. I feel like here is my second hometown now. I love Nakano.

5. How are you currently studying Japanese?
In my first and second year, I took Japanese classes provided by the University. I started a part-time job, and spent a lot of time with my friends, so I naturally learned Japanese from them.
Now I think I can speak Japanese quite well, but I still have some difficulty writing and reading kanji, so I still study these parts by myself. I think I will take JLPT N2 or N1 this year and get ready for job hunting.

6. What are your plans for the future? What field or discipline do you want to work in?
In my near future I would like to travel a lot in Japan before I graduate. I also would like to spend a lot of my time during my university life on campus, since there is a lot of campus.
I took a class with another faculty on accounting and finance, and it was very interesting for me so I decided to pursue accounting. Now I am studying accounting to get a job in that field.

A Day in the Life

0:00 – 8:00 sleep
8:00 – 9:00 wake up and prepare, go to school
9:00 – 17:00 classes/studying or hanging out with friends during free period
17:00 – 19:00 go get food/part-time job
19:00 – 0:00 exercise, study or work on assignments, leisure time/part-time job


Time table in 1st year

Period Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri
1st
(Spring)
 
 
 Introductory Japanese (General)   Tourism Management A  Introductory Japanese (General)  
1st
(Fall)

 
 
  Elementary Japanese (General)  Tourism Management B  Elementary Japanese (General)  
2nd
(Spring)

 
 
Introductory Japanese (Vocabulary & Kanji)     Introductory Japanese (General)  
2nd
(Fall)

 
 
 Elementary Japanese (General)     Elementary Japanese (Vocabulary & Kanji)  
3rd
(Spring)
 Introduction to Global Japanese Studies  Sociology A  
 Asia-Pacific Political Economy A 
 
   
3rd
(Fall)

 
 
 Japanese Social Systems B  

 
 East Asian Studies B  
4th
(Spring)

  Research Paper Writing
 
   Research Paper Writing  Globalization and Financial Services A  
4th 
(Fall)
  Speech & Presentation     Speech & Presentation   Globalization and Financial Services B
 Business Administration B
 
5th
(Spring)
     French Culture Studies A  
 
 
5th 
(Fall)
      French Culture Studies B   ICT Basic I
 
 
 

 

Time table in 2nd year

Period Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri
1st
(Spring)

 
 
       
1st
(Fall)

 
 
       
2nd
(Spring)

 
 
    Comparative Culture A   Japanese Social Systems A  
2nd
(Fall)

 
 
  European Political Economy B  Comparative Culture B    
3rd
(Spring)
     
Business Administration A
 
 Africa in the Contemporary World A  
3rd
(Fall)

 
 
 Practicum in Global Japanese Studies D  

 
 Africa in the Contemporary World B  
4th
(Spring)

 
 
    Manga Culture A   Liberal Arts Studies A  
4th 
(Fall)
       Manga Culture B   Liberal Arts Studies B
 
 
5th
(Spring)
Introduction to Academic Studies and Career Development      
 
 
5th 
(Fall)
       
 
 

 

Time table in 3rd year

Period Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri
1st
(Spring)

 
 
 History of Japanese Marketing System A      
1st
(Fall)

 
 
History of Japanese Marketing System B      
2nd
(Spring)

 
 
     Comparative Culture A   Japanese Social Systems A  
2nd
(Fall)

 
 
 Technology and the Japanese Society B      
3rd
(Spring)
      
  European Urban Customs A
 
    
3rd
(Fall)

 
 
   

 
    International Undergraduate Programs in Economics II
4th
(Spring)

 
 

Seminar 3A
 
 International Undergraduate Programs in Economics I   International Undergraduate Programs in Economics I  
4th 
(Fall)
   Seminar 3B    
  International Undergraduate Programs in Law and Political Sciences II
 
5th
(Spring)
    Diversity and Society A  
 
 
5th 
(Fall)
    Diversity and Society B  
 
 

 
  
What considerations did you make when choosing your classes?
There are International undergraduate programs with other faculties. I love to take these courses because Global Japanese Studies are liberal arts, and I don’t have much interest in liberal arts so I take many classes in economics/経済. It is exciting and fun to meet students from other faculty. Staying in Nakano campus, there may not be as many opportunities to meet new people. I also love to visit other campuses.
For my kohais I strongly recommend taking International undergraduate programs provided by the University. I think it is a great system because you can experience other faculties’ classes.
Try to live near the campus. Our life cycle is totally different than high school, so it is very difficult to be in class by 9:00. If you cannot live near the campus, I would recommend starting classes from the second period.
If you take 6th period, it ends at 19:00, which can be tough, so be careful when planning. If you have friends at University, organize your time schedules so you can spend time on campus together. In my third year I have only 2 days at Nakano campus, but my friends are also there on those days, so it is easy to meet them, hang out and go out to have dinner.








(2023.04.10)