Ashes blanketed the sky with darkness. The smell was disgusting, and many people had to flee to the seashore in horror. While escaping to the south near the sea, I was wondering why California has so many wildfires. Wildfires have mainly two causes: artificial and natural events. The former consists
Last Saturday, my best friend Seungho and I decided to meet up at a Starbucks in Jamwon, which is our regular hang-out place. Unsurprisingly, it was very difficult to find an empty table right after dinner time. It is somewhat typical for seats to not be readily available in cafes in Korea. I was su
There has always been the persisting dilemma regarding to what extent humans should respect animal rights. The concept of pets and whether they should be regarded as of equal societal status to humans is another long-standing area of controversy that sparks debates among different people groups. The
Masks are an essential part of our lives these days. Not only are they necessary for going to school or exercising, but trends such as mask embroidery are also emerging. It is undeniable that wearing a mask is uncomfortable, but doing so is essential for the safety and concern for the people around
A few days ago, I heard one of my close friends complaining about how some people are not wearing masks on the street. It was strange because the police control the street, and if they catch someone not wearing a mask, then he/she has to pay a fine. At first, I doubted her because I firmly believed
As the COVID-19 pandemic expanded around the world, I had to stay at home for over six months. During that time, I quickly got bored and decided to try out some new things to do. Since I have lots of spare time nowadays, one brilliant idea crossed my mind: baking. When COVID-19 broke out, the number
Traditionally, in myriad cultures around the world, lavender has been used for various purposes. It was used in ancient Egypt for mummification and perfume, in ancient Rome for cooking and bathing, and in ancient Greece for treating insomnia and back aches. In the modern era, lavender is most common
When I was in elementary school, I used to be taken to Seoul Forest (which is a park, despite its name) every few months by my church as a “mini-retreat” – we would feed the deer raised at the park and have small picnics on the large stretches of grass. Wanting to take advantage of the time I
Humans love to create. Whether it’s art, music, food, literature, or physical goods, we are biologically wired to enjoy our creations. According to Dan Ariely from Ted Ideas, our impulse to create, also colloquially called the “IKEA effect”, is a reflection of our egocentric mindset as a toddler. We
It has been six months since the first outbreak of COVDI-19 in Wuhan, China last December. Korea was one of the first countries that experienced the outbreak, much earlier than Western countries, and had to make drastic measures internally and externally, resulting in significant lifestyle changes.
South Korea is well known for its amazing transportation system, especially its affordable and convenient subway system, which served approximately 2.9 million people in 2018. Aside from their functionality, South Korea’s subway stations are also known for the services that are provided within them,
As new COVID-19 cases continue to emerge, many healthy individuals are being asked by the government to stay at home in self-quarantine. Fitness centers, as of the writing of this article, will remain temporarily closed or partially open. Staying at home for long periods of time can pose a significa
It is a known fact that exercising is beneficial to everyone, especially to young people like myself who are still physically growing. This is especially true for teens who have much more “screen time” than exercise time and could not have been more evident than during past few the no-school months,
I cannot imagine starting my day without a cup of coffee. Even a bad cup of copy is better than none. When I was younger, I despised the scent of coffee which was so common in adults around me. Spinning a few drops of coffee left in a finished cup was enough to traumatize my young soul. But on one p
The recent outbreak of the COVID-19 virus has caused many businesses around the world large and small to suffer tremendous losses. Many small businesses and restaurants are currently scrambling for financial aid and help in order to stay afloat. However, one industry that has seen a rise in its sale
Although the daily number of new Coronavirus infections has dropped significantly in Korea, new infections are still popping up from travelers entering the country. Thus, the government decided to require every single person entering the country, citizen and non-citizen, to self-isolate in their hom
There are many accidents and injuries happening around us on a daily basis. While watching the news the other day, I learned that a 12-year-old child saved an elderly man’s life by doing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). As a person who is interested in life-saving techniques, I thought it would
As we enter the month of April, I have now been doing online learning and practicing social distancing for nearly two months. Since the beginning of February, our school has been providing education through online learning due to the breakout of COVID-19 through the platform of either Google Meet or
As someone who is dangerously close to needing an intervention for an addiction to Flaming Hot Cheetos, I am nowhere close to what you would consider a healthy eater. Nutrition-conscious consumption and calorie-regulation were habits previously unfamiliar to me, having enjoyed grilled pork belly at
COVID-19, or more commonly known as novel coronavirus, has upended the lives of students in South Korea with the Ministry of Education postponing the start of school until April 9th. Due to this, there has been a clear difference between the schedules of students who attend Korean school and those w