We’re Huskies, it’s what we do

Well… didn’t the fall semester just fly by.

After all the unexpected twists and turns, this girl is still going strong. One more semester left and looking back, I can’t say I have many regrets if any! Being involved with friends and clubs while staying active is the key to success in my book! (Not forgetting about the hours of writing papers and studying ;)) Our favorite!

But truly, I’ve learned that work DOES pay off! Be that student who puts in the extra hour to tidy up her paper. Be that student who goes out of their way to assist a member in their club with a project. Be THAT student who goes above and beyond. Sort of like Buzz Lightyear… or is that to infinity and beyond? Actually, do that too!

Oh, the Places You Go says Dr. Seuss. Make the effort, put in the work, and you’ll see the results in the end.

Starting out merely as a member of NCASC (National Communication Association Student Club), I’ve worked my way up to PRESIDENT! Taking on various leadership roles such as treasurer and public relations chair, I was an active exec member throughout my college years. It wasn’t all pretty though.

You see, at first, I tried so hard to follow this shiny, marbly, off-white path to guide me to my success. But in reality, this path is dusty, rugged, and dirt brown.

But that’s okay. Every path is different and leads to different things!

In my freshman year, I started out as a health science major. I loved science and formulas but my sophomore year, I learned this wasn’t the path for me. It was during the Covid-19 pandemic when I took a class called Interpersonal Communications and I absolutely loved it. Through the Zoom screen, my professor opened my eyes to other majors offered. She started telling me more about communication studies, and I was sold.

Regardless of what others thought or expected of me, I loved this new major path. Why? It was for myself.

Later on, I picked up a marketing minor as I was interested in aspects of business. I wanted to be as successful and marketable as possible after college. Even though I never really enjoyed crunching numbers, I pushed myself to learn more every day.

Happiness comes from within. And THAT is what I ultimately learned this year.

Overall, college has brought friends into my life that will truly last a lifetime. I’ve learned as much from them as I have in my courses. Life is a process, and it’s to be taken one step at a time.

And with one semester left, I can confidently say that when I walk across the graduation stage, I’ll continue to go onward and upward. We’re Huskies, it’s what we do.

— Kathryn Henriksen, a senior communication studies major at Commonwealth University-Bloomsburg with an emphasis on organizational communication, is interning with the Office of Marketing and Communications this fall. She is a native of Pottstown who loves Andy Grammer, Nutella, and all 10 seasons of Friends.

#BloomOnward #HuskyLife

Japchae with a touch of Chuseok

It's been almost two weeks since I’ve landed in South Korea, and it already feels like I’ve been here forever! After stepping outside at the airport, I was hit by high humidity which my straightened curly hair did not like. It did not hit me that I was across the other side of the globe until I saw signs everywhere in Korean, a foreign language I only know a little bit of.

I’m staying at Korea University-Sejong campus in the university dormitories and have two Korean roommates. The university is located in a rural setting, and so the locals don’t speak much English. I found this out when going to the market for the first time; this is a unique experience for me to dive in another language. This will surely be a challenge, but I’m ready to take on this language barrier.

Bloomsburg prepared me to be fearless.

My roommates are so welcoming and informative. I’ve not experienced culture shock, because I’ve made an effort to ask my Korean friends on how to be polite to others and not be disrespectful. Elders are extremely respected here, so much that there are two different ways of talking — formal and informally, all of the endings are completely different for both. It’s been a great learning experience so far. Academic wise, I’m taking a North Korean socio-culture and human rights class with other South Koreans and though classes just started, it’s been really interesting.

I have a short week this week, it’s Thanksgiving here and so we don’t have class Thursday Sept.12 and Friday, Sept. 13. Thanksgiving this year will be celebrated on Friday, Sept. 13. It’s called Chuseok, and it’s not celebrated like in the United States. In my South Korean culture class, we learned that in Chuseok (literally meaning Autumn Eve) South Koreans thank their ancestors and celebration for the bountiful harvest.

I’ve already learned so much about the customs here, and I’m pushed out of my comfort zone every day. I will be visiting a Korean folk village and the DMZ with my class and will be visiting temples and palaces on my own, which I’m super excited for. I love history, and I know the Asian continent is full of it along with hundreds of years’ worth of traditions.

I’ll also be cooking japchae, a Korean noodle dish! Something I’m not used to yet here is the spiciness of the food. The food is so delicious, but every meal has a spicy component (or is spicy itself), which I’ve not completely adjusted to yet. I hope to become accustomed to this and a pro at using chopsticks by the end of my stay here. I’ve never used chopsticks in America, weird right? Chopsticks are used for everything here, even to eat fried chicken.

— Liz Hernandez, a health sciences and sociology dual major, is studying abroad this fall in South Korea at Korea University in Sejong, studying such topics as North Korean socio-culture and human rights, as well immersing herself in the Korean culture such as experiencing Chuseok and learning to cook japchae.

#HuskyAbroad #ProfessionalU #BloomOnward #HuskyUnleashed #BloomUpward