When I entered university, I didn’t have anything in particular I wanted to pursue, but SI programs became a major turning point that expanded my sense of what was possible.
Through a connection I made with one of the SI instructors, I became involved in organizing a business contest in Fiji. Encouraged by the instructor’s words—“If you’re going to do something, you might as well choose what excites you the most”—I also assisted in hosting an event called “Intellectual Bodybuilding,” featuring muscular men wearing glasses, in Sabae City, Japan’s hub for eyewear manufacturing. These were opportunities I never would have imagined encountering in my ordinary university life.
SI programs also gave me early exposure to thinking about my future career. From my first year in university, I had the opportunity to listen to professionals working at the forefront of companies like Bloomberg and Google, which helped me become more conscious of my future path at an early stage.
SI programs are full of opportunities that uncover unexpected interests and offer insights into broadening one’s expertise. How you make use of the opportunities provided—and how you connect them to your future—is entirely up to you. First, step into the world of SI and take the first step driven by your curiosity. Expanding your world during your first and second years of university will surely serve as a solid foundation for making the most of your third and fourth years—and of your life beyond university.
(School of International Liberal Studies K.Y.)
