Peer-to-peer Tandem Career Contest 2020

Managing Editor Choi Soo-young

kelly6166@naver.com

Provided Gwon Na-kyung

The Career Development Center held a peer-to-peer Tandem Career Contest in the second semester of 2020. The tasks were making contents to promote the Career Development Center and introducing personal careers. The Center asked students with promoting the Center by making videos, pamphlets, or various contents which explain the programs run by the Center. In addition to this, the contest to introduce personal careers had to contain career stories, tips for finding careers, or contents like cartoons, drawings or videos.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the contest and the award ceremony were proceeded through YouTube. The participant, Gwon Na-kyung, who focused on her dream career, won the grand prize. She conveyed her earnest dream through the title “we who record and remember.”

1. What is the reason why you chose the title as “we who record and remember”?

I wanted to make it for students and so I thought about the times when students use memo pads. We used to use them when we have news to consider, but nowadays, we usually use to write short letters. Thanks to the memo pad, we can stimulate many good memories together. I want the memo pad to contain messages that “small and trivial events make us happy.”, so I chose the title “we who record and remember.”

2. How did you realize that your dream career was a goods designer?

Actually, I tried to transfer to another university, as I thought that the language I was learning was not suitable for me. Now that I think about it, I did not have a clear dream at that time. I took a break from the university and it took indirect experience to find what I am interested in. In particular, I liked taking pictures of people and editing them, so I practiced doing that for a year and a half and it developed my dream to be a goods designer. Therefore, I decided to check whether my dream of being a ‘goods designer’ is right for me through the peer-to-peer Tandem Career Contest and I got assured that it fits better than anything I’ve ever experienced...!

3. As part of the contest, you had many decisions to make, like assigning the title, understanding yourself, carving out your career, editing photos and illustration. What do these processes mean to you?

I think this contest is my own first project. It was my first time designing and ordering a memo pad, so I learned a lot by preparing it and through that my confidence grew. Honestly, designing goods is a field that anyone can try, but the possibility of failure is also high. However, through the result of the contest, I got to believe in myself and it has given me courage. Now I can see what I could not see before. I will try much harder.

4. You designed memo packages, stickers, goods at a glance, a daily check list, a sticky memo pad, and a diary. What did you focus on?

There are various types of stationery goods, so I focused on making the goods which people can use conveniently and I also considered the budget I had and the due date.

5. What did you feel while doing the event?

Before I came up with the idea, I felt a little anxious, but I did not get too stressed about it. In contrast, I went through the process it joyfully. I was so excited about making new things and it pushed me to want to do it better. I could feel these things because the peer-to-peer Tandem Career Contest of 2020 enabled us to choose the contents and the form-freely.

6. Do you have a message to convey to BUFSians who hesitate to challenge their dreams or who try hard for their dreams?

I have a message for the students who have an interest, but hesitate to try it. Do not minimize your ability, but trust yourselves. I also needed much courage until choosing the path of ‘goods designer’, which is very different from my major. However, after making a decision, I feel rather at ease.

After I can happily prepare what I am doing, ‘today’ is so good and I became less obsessed with the past and the future. ‘Life gives you the most helpful experience for the evolution of the consciousness whatever it is.’. It is the phrase of my favorite book, ‘reemerging into life’. Whatever study or activity we do, we definitely grow with them. However, the moments when we worried and hesitated were in the past, so I hope you do what comes to your head and makes your heart beat!