Wandering

[Noun]

1. A going about from place to place

2. A rambling without a definite purpose or objective.

3. [North Korean] A moving from place to place freely.

+4. The privilege of youth; the period to accept one's life seriously.

 If I have to choose a word to represent Korean college students, it would be proper to say 'wandering.' The university area is full of entertainment. It is more frequent to be in a karaoke room or the game clubs rather than the library. This is the typical image of a Korean college student. After we wander like that without any specific goal in the university area, we go about wandering again, but this time to look for a job to earn money. When the time for graduation comes near for the students, we don't usually care about what we want to do and about our dreams. This is the reality of Korean university students. So how can we find another word that is more proper than wandering?

The Dankook Herald found a hidden meaning in the word wandering. That is the privilege of youth, the period to accept one's life seriously. The definition in the dictionary does not mention this. It is similar to ‘wasting time’, but to the people who found mean of wandering, something fruitful came up. They find their ego, goals in life, and even the real meaning of life at the risk of their youth. Youth and wandering have a close relationship that we can't regard as two separate words. To stand up again after running around like a headless chicken and falling down and being a crybaby is youth. We, youngsters, are not like the seniors who fall and scrape their knee to never stand up again. Therefore, the only opportunity to wander is at the time of youth.

  The wandering that was like a growth hormone shot

The meeting with Wan Kim, a sophomore in the Dept. of Exercise Prescription

His legs were swollen as a result of an injury during basketball training. He dunked and made a poor landing, which caused the anterior cruciate ligament to tear. He had an operation and went into rehabilitation. His voice told of the shock at that time.

The reporter of The Dankook Herald: Your injury was the start of your wandering, right?

Kim: I couldn't even think straight when the doctor said that I would not be able to play any rigorous sports like basketball anymore. The real shock was what came out of his mouth a week later. He said that I had an excuse to not join the army. It could be good news to others but not to me. What about my efforts to become a member of ROTC (Reserve Officers' Training Corps) for a year and fulfill my father's wish for me to be a member? My wandering had started with these questions.

We could see various causes for wandering while we were interviewing students. Some wandered due to the departure of a lover, their parent’s divorce, and some wander while discovering a new culture. Unlike others, Kim's wandering began without warning.

DKH: How was your wandering in detail?

Kim: I was only lying in the ward without any thought for the first week. Soon afterwards, my friends started to visit me. Every single one of them was envious of me because of my excuse for not being able to join the army. I wanted pass that excuse on to them if I could. At that time, one of them comforted me by saying, "You have to know the irony of fate." And then he joked, "Who knows if World War III will happen?" to avoid the awkward moment. I mind got complicated again even though everyone laughed. After my friends' visit, I began to think more positively and began to edit my life’s plan by adjusting to my situation. Just like that, I accepted my situation and felt at peace in my mind.

Like a candle that gives light in the darkness, the heart-warming words from his friend became a shining light during his time of darkness. He seemed to find himself by wandering, and he discovered that he had a positive attitude which he never knew he had before.

DKH: Would you say that the heartwarming words from your friends helped put an end to your wandering?

Kim: It was not the end of my wandering. I was a confident guy. I even had the nickname 'Mr. Confident.' However, whenever someone mentioned the army to me, I lost confidence and it caused me wander again. The positive attitude my friend showed me built up my courage. When I think about my major, I do not think that it was not a complete tragedy since my major is exercise prescription. I was more optimistic than positive. People say “actions speak louder than words.” I agree a hundred percent about the new meaning you had suggested. I can finally be serious about my life thanks to wandering.

He seems to enjoy the privileges of being a youth. He became a better man by finding his new ego and rethinking his goals again while wandering.

  These are also examples of wandering.

1. A lady who is much older than I

I am a freshman who did not join the army yet. I had a woman who I really loved. She was eight years older than me. The first time I saw her in a class was when I was a freshman. After that, I couldn’t sleep because she was constantly on my mind. She was the first woman I had met after graduating from an all boy’s high school. I wandered because of the big age gap. Despite this, I confessed my love to her and got rejected because of the gap. After that, I wandered again. Thanks to this older lady, I learned what love truly is.

2. Where is the walking going....?

I am Sang-Won Lee from the dept. of Sports Management. I wandered because of badminton, even though I am crazy about it now. I was abnormally obsessed with badminton, with all the shuttlecocks I bought and the brachioradialis I used. I wandered again questioning myself, but now I play badminton diligently. Not with obsession, but with passion even though I still spend 19,500 won a week buying shuttlecocks.

  3. The Truman Show.

I am Hyo-Won Kim in Business Administration. I like watching movies alone in the dormitory. I watched a movie called, “The Truman Show” once. This was the beginning of my wandering. Do I truly live out my life? If I do, are people aware of it like how people saw the life of Truman? I had wandered for two months. After that, I lived my life hard with the philosophy of 'listen to my own voice and be honorable to myself!' Can I say that I found my own life through wandering?

  How to escape from wandering

Earlier, we said that wandering is a privilege for the youth. But, people say too much of something is just as bad as too little. I will follow the words that leave amid the applause of the audience. I will wander just enough and go back to the real world. In order to do that, DKH prepared ways to escape from the constant wandering. It is not as difficult as the one from “The Shaw Shank Redemption.” You may follow these steps whenever you need to. Not to escape only from wandering but also to escape from a slump.

Like Kevin did (By oneself type)

The person who chose to wander is you. You have to do something in order to get back to being yourself. It is called "Like Kevin did." Like how Kevin escaped from the dangers of the robbers, we can do it by ourselves. Go mountain climbing by yourself. Each and every step you take to the peak will cleanse mind which was littered with a lot of thoughts. Walk downtown alone with your iPod creating a decent mood. Seeing a lot of strangers will of help in getting to know yourself. If you see a person who is your ideal type, try saying "Hello, Stranger?"

Vicarious satisfaction

Watch a movie that will help you to get to know yourself and help you achieve your goals. Empty your mind before watching the movie and concentrate on the movie. Feel empathetic with the movie and consider yourself as the main character. Do not feel futile after watching. You will escape from your wandering as a hero in a movie of “Your Life.”

Recommended Movies to Watch: The Truman Show, The Devil Wears Prada, Legally Blonde, and Dead Poets Society.

Temptations of a Wife

If the wandering was from a parting, you also can be Eh-Ri Shin (actress of a wife's revenge). Put a dot on your nose and start to improve yourself. Go on a diet, change your hair style, and study. You can find your problems while you are doing some self-improvement. When you find yourself improving step by step, you will know there was no reason for you to have wandered. You can escape from the natural instincts of wandering by finding the potential and faith inside to improve yourself. How can I put this...“Killing two birds with one stone.”

“... I mean if they're running and they don't look where they're going, I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. That's all I do all day. I'd just be the catcher in the rye and all. I know it's crazy, but that's the only thing I'd really like to be.”

These are the words of Holden Caulfield, the main character in the book “Catcher in the Rye,” who wanders because of the irrationality of society.

The youth! Wander! But, don't wander without any dreams and goals. It is up to you whether 'wandering' will be a waste of time or a process of personal growth. Consider the hidden meaning of wandering that DKH has found. You can check your youth at the end of the wandering.