If you were expecting a crazy new haircut then I'm sorry to disappoint you. I'm a pretty dull person and tried to get a haircut that is similar to the many that I have gotten back home (although it is a bit different). After getting through all the midterms I'm here to share my thoughts on them, as well as the changing weather and some other things as well.
Midterms and Updated Thoughts on Classes
International Management
This was the first midterm that I took, it was a simple 20 questions multiple-choice exam. Although I haven't received the grade from it, there were no surprises in comparison to the study guide that was provided. Overall in the class, it's a bit dry in terms of the lectures. As a result, class participation is very limited and most students are often doing anything but paying attention to the professor.
Understanding K-Pop
This was one of two midterms that I took on one day, luckily this one was not that difficult. Despite two in one day, I managed to score averagely on this one. The exam consisted of some short-answers, fill-in-the-blanks, and multiple choice. Personally, this is either my favorite or second favorite class. The reason being that it's relatable to me as an exchange student. The class exposes to students how the history of various aspects of Korea has impacted the K-Pop industry today while learning about both the good and bad that it comes with. I really enjoy how a lot of the things learned from this class can be seen in real life.
Introduction to Korean Studies
This was the second of two midterms that I took on one day, this one was a bit more difficult compared to the first. This midterm was very similar in a format consisting of multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, and much more short answers. The short-answers got me on this one, but I still managed to score averagely. Luckily, for both the midterms that I took that the day, the Professor announced that he's shifting the curve for grading a bit down so a lot of people were happy, including myself. For this class, I still like it because the content can sometimes be relatable and still different from what is covered in Understanding K-Pop. The one thing that I despise is the amount of reading, but if that's the worst part then the class is great in my opinion.
Corporate Finance
Finally, this was the last midterm that I had taken (It wasn't even the same week as all the others). Nevertheless, this midterm was the one that I was most worried about. A lot of my peers didn't know what to expect and the professor made it seem like if we didn't know our content that it'd be difficult. Luckily, we did have a one-sided cheat sheet for this and you best believe that I utilized it to the best of my ability (Fun fact: A4 sized paper is different from the typical 8.5"x11" in the US; it's smaller, but still very common throughout the world). Luckily, I scored above average on this exam, and my gut feeling that I did pretty well on it once I finished held somewhat true (honestly I was pretty nervous throughout the exam and trying to calmly think if what I was doing was correct). The exam had contained true/false (with explanations), multiple-choice and work-out problems. Overall, this is tied for, if not my favorite class. The reason being that this class is very well-structured and both the professor and teaching assistant are more than helpful when it comes to producing an understanding of the content. On top of that, the professor has a personality that almost makes it fun to learn the content.
Overall thoughts: Mid-term season wasn't as bad as I remember it being, maybe it was a mixture of classes or the fact that I've been in college for almost 5 years now, but it was definitely doable. If you're looking for places to study and your room/accommodation isn't getting it done for you, check out the library, the numerous cafes, or even just sitting outdoors if you don't mind the rapidly decreasing temperature.
Haircut
Whether or not it's necessary or just wanted there's a bunch of places to get a haircut. If you want to do a lot of research that's cool, but make sure to also check out this place that I went to, "Hair & Joy," located in the Hongdae area. What's neat about this location is that the staff there are bilingual speakers, so if you're very specific about your hair and want the best results you can use your native tongue to get the job done. It was a lot less stressful than I imagined and they really take care of you as a customer. For about $22, I got my haircut and hair shampooed and conditioned; a pretty good deal in my eyes. You might not be able to tell but here are some before and after pictures.
Weather
The weather and environment really change right before your eyes. Having lived in Hawaii for all of my life, you never really get to experience what a true Fall or Winter feels like. It's really eye-opening to see the colors of leaves actually change from green to yellow and orange, and even begin to see them fall of branches. It's a really small thing that others who have experienced it before may take for granted, but seeing it for the first time is a really beautiful sight. I can't wait to experience the weather once Winter officially starts. As for right now (late October, early November), the temperature is steadily around the mid 50's during the day and high 40's at night. So depending on how acclimated you are to the cold at the very least a jacket is recommended. I'm getting by in shorts for now, but I like the colder weather so keep that in mind.
Cool (Get it?) Food of the Blog So this type of food can be found all over and is fairly common, but I stumbled upon as I was getting my haircut and was really in the mood for it. It was simple but delightful, a Belgium waffle with gelato, Nutella, and some Oreo crumbles. For about $4, it can melt your heart like it did mine. There were a whole bunch of other flavors and combinations, but to me, my favorites are vanilla and cookies and creme so this one was a must-try. Also, it's never too cold for ice cream (in this case gelato), I can't wait to get this again.
If you were looking to hear about the baseball game, unfortunately, I mixed up the dates, but I'll be doing my best to go to them so check next time for sure. But other than that, I'm not too sure what is in store, so check back next time!