Reviviscence of Busan University of Foreign Studies Campus
A campus filled with energy and joy
Students enjoy the sun on the stairs of Mano Memorial Hall
Cub-reporter Kim Han-deul
sswante88@naver.com
During the times when COVID-19 was eroding the daily life little by little, BUFS campus also lost its liveliness. Students were taking classes at home on computers and pads. School without students went on for two years. However, starting in 2022, the movement towards the post-COVID-19 era has begun. Social distancing has been alleviated and wearing a mask outdoors is no longer mandatory. In turn, the university also starting gaining momentum, with the cafe in the hall of A Building opening once again from 11am to 3pm. The cafe is full of people enjoying drinks after having a meal, students working on their laptops with a boost of caffeine. Now you can enjoy a nice cup of coffee or tea in A building, I building and the Cafeteria. The library cafe is the most crowded cafe out of all and it is hard to find an empty seat around lunch time.
During quarantine times staying in became the norm. One of the negative effects of that was the lack of sun exposure which made people feel blue. Now if the weather turns bright and sunny, with just a light breeze, on campus then many BUFSians sit on the stairs of the Mano Memorial building and enjoy the nice weather. The sun's natural heating system even warms the stairs, making it even more comfortable for people to sit.
In the outdoor sheltered bench area of the Ministop convenience store, there are several wooden tables and benches. BUFSians order food with friends or buy snacks and drinks at the CVS then take them to the outdoor bench area. BUFSians enjoy their food happily while no longer worrying about wearing masks, since the mask mandate has been lifted. There are also more table benches located below the trees in the area right around the left-hand corner of H building when you walk through the outdoor sheltered bench area. The shade of the trees and the cool air coming from the mountain area makes it a refreshing place for students to relax.
There is a restaurant called Yachaejib near BUFS. It is known for noodles and Buchujeon (leek rice cake). To get there, students can hike along a trail while enjoying the natural aroma of the woods. After that, you can visit Yachaejib and enjoy their various dishes with other BUFSians. It is open from 8am to 8pm every day except Tuesday, as Tuesday is their rest day. Actually, many students go to the restaurant for lunch in between classes or to have dinner after the classes are over with friends. However, now that the mask mandate outdoors has been lifted students no longer gasp for breath so hard while heading to Yachaejib.
In the school dormitory students are not allowed to eat in the first-floor lounge or the resting room. Students must eat in their rooms or outside on the bench area near the dormitory. Now that the restrictions for social distancing have been relaxed, it might be possible to enjoy food in the resting room or the lounge. Students will no longer have to feel the discomfort of having to eat in their rooms in the dormitory.
People long to return to pre-COVID-19 times when the virus was not impacting our daily lives. The post-COVID-19 era is mentioned often and highly anticipated. However, variants of the virus are continuously appearing. Therefore, recognizing the fluidity of the situation is the task. Not having a certain situation has been making people tired. Seeing the changes on campus is definitely a step forward.