Peering at the sky
I ask myself a question
What is my future?
As of now, it has been approximately 173 hours since I last set foot on campus, a duration much longer than what I usually enjoy during the weekend at home. While I no longer wield my “never caughtCOVID flex card” anymore and had to suffer through this heckin’ virus, my extended stay away from campus has given me the chance to better reflect on how much my life has changed ever since becoming a college student (and don’t worry, I plan to get revenge on viruses in SEA-PHAGES through whatever means necessary… if that’s ethical… and if Dr. Diaz lets me).
I did not really understand what people meant when they said that college gave them “freedom.” But now, I think I do. As a high school student, I woke up at the same time every morning to cycle through the same schedule at school to return home to complete the same school tasks. My life revolved around school. And, while I did not necessarily lack freedom as a high school student, my life never felt… in my own hands. Now, as a college student, I am able to choose how to live my life. Of course, there are still many things that I am required to do as someone committed to academics and the arts, but the precious pockets of my week where I choose to do what I want to do give me control, which I believe to be freeing.
My favorite activity that has become routine for my friend group, 짜장면 (jjajangmyeon), is going out on Wednesday mornings to explore the city. The day before I turned 19, Adam, Raymond, and I went to Rohey’s Wok & Grill. Although we were not expecting the tiny space, we were greeted with a cozy atmosphere, further warmed by the owners, a kind elderly Korean couple. We held a pleasant conversation with them in Korean, and the language connection only furthered the homely feeling. (Adam, half-Korean and half-Italian, definitely amazed everyone with his fluent Hangugeo.) After saying 잘 먹었습니다 (jal meogeosseumnida) and thanking the owners for the meal, the couple gave us each a frozen meal to take back to the dorm, telling us to eat it when studying became gruesome. Touched by their kindness and thanking them again, my friends and I received the gifts, exited the eatery, and went on with our day together, our hearts happy and our stomachs satiated.
That special day is akin to what college has felt like to me. I expected my new college life to be completely foreign, but upon “stepping inside,” it actually felt quite cozy and comfy. I met and connected with strangers, and I am grateful for the ones that have become my dear friends. I was not expecting to receive so much from the people here, and yet I have. From chatting and slapping each other (lovingly) at the Eagle’s Nest to giving words of encouragement (many of which occur right before chem lab) to manically laughing during badminton nights, I have been given so many precious memories. Here at La Sierra, my heart is happy and my stomach is satiated (frankly speaking, the latter may be a stretch but hey, Eagle’s had this incredible garlic white pizza once… so it counts?).
Part of what has made my college life so pleasant has been the Honors Program. Being the incessantly curious person I am, I am grateful to have a place where I am challenged to learn and grow beyond what traditional academia requires. After the first session of UHNR 101: Beginning to Seek, I stayed behind to continue a conversation with Honors Program Director Oliver Sutter, and we ended up talking for more than an hour about the class material and a thousand more tangents. I never had the opportunity to talk about such niche yet important subjects and was fascinated. Ten weeks, many Zombie Dice games, and a horrid Anya pumpkin later, I feel just as passionate and happy to be a part of Honors.
My haiku at the start of this whole text journey is a moment of inquiry I have daily. Although I do not have an answer to the haiku’s question, I like to remind myself of a quote from my favorite show, Avatar: The Last Airbender: “MY CABBAGESS!!” Oops, wrong one. “It’s the quenchiest!” Drat, wrong again. Hold on a second… *rummages through pocket* Found it! “Life happens wherever you are, whether you make it or not,” wisely said by good ol’ Uncle Iroh. I find reassurance in how life happens regardless of whether I have answers or not because life is not a set of questions and answers, a to-do list, or an end goal. Life is a series of moments that I choose to be present for.
— Julia Ko (Major: Biomedical Science, Class of 2026)