Activities & Studies

November 29, 2016

My most interesting class would definitely be my Experiential Activities class. In this class, students are given a variety of opportunities to participate in activities and then write a report detailing their experiences and what they had learned. I enjoy this class because of the many opportunities to experience Japanese culture. For example, some of the activities I got to do were make traditional Japanese sweets, attend festivals, visit a Shinto shrine, observe Kyudo (Japanese archery), and wear a kimono. Participating in these kinds of activities also gives me chances to practice my Japanese speaking and listening skills.

With five classes (three of which are conducted entirely in Japanese) and midterms happening right now, studying and reviewing often are very important. My ideal place to study and do homework is at home in my bedroom, since I can easily get something to eat or go to the bathroom whenever the need arises without worrying about losing my spot and getting my things stolen. Plus, I can wear sweatpants the entire day. Of course, studying at home isn’t exactly the most suitable environment, since my host family is very lively and often interrupts me, sometimes unintentionally. But if I really need privacy and silence to study or work on a project, I just tell my host parents and it usually works out.

My favorite place to study at school is the common area on the first floor of a building called Gakujikan. This room has several long tables, ideal for socializing with friends, studying, or even just eating lunch. I like studying in this area because I often see other students studying or doing homework (which motivates me to do my own homework) and it’s usually quiet during classes. However, I avoid this area during lunchtime because many students eat and socialize there, making it a distracting environment for studying.

Written By

Yvette Ortiz

Hello! My name is Yvette, and I am a fifth-year student here at Northeastern. For my final semester as an undergrad, I decided to study abroad in Tokyo, Japan. One of the main reasons I chose to go abroad was my desire to push myself out of my comfort zone, and I figured traveling alone to a foreign country where my native language is rarely used would be a pretty effective way of doing that. Aside from improving my Japanese, my main study-abroad goal is to not be afraid of making mistakes. Since I will be immersed in a completely different culture, I will receive ample opportunities to initiate conversations with native Japanese speakers. I’ll probably make tons of mistakes, but that's okay, because that's what normally happens when you're learning a foreign language while living in a foreign country.