First, there is no single university culture in America. The array of schools is enormous, and the variety of opportunities and sub-cultures even within a single university makes it impossible to suggest that there is one typical university experience.

Just as it is for students here in Korea, the university years are a very special time for American students. During this time students experience more freedom, as well as more responsibility, than most have ever had before. While this is a tremendous adjustment for many students, many consider this time a rite of passage that marks the transition to adulthood. However, the first year of university provides many wonderful opportunities as well as challenges. In general, students have the opportunity to explore new and interesting academic fields, to meet students from across the country and the world, and to forge their own identity through their emerging independence.

While I can profess neither to completely define American university culture nor to fully understand Korean university culture, I believe that the most significant difference between the two is the amount of freedom students are given in each. During my university years, many professors never took attendance in class, and I certainly never had a curfew while living in the dorms. No one watched over me or checked to make sure that I was studying. Many young students just out of high school experience academic stress and failure during their first year of university because they have difficulty regulating their own study habits and attendance. Academically, university life is usually much more rigorous than high school. Professors expect students to keep up with readings and lectures without providing much support, and in smaller classes students are called upon frequently to express opinions or analyze information related to the course. In short, professors require students to be very active and independent learners. In this environment students are encouraged to challenge the professor with opposing viewpoints and difficult questions.

Socially, the first year of university can be quite exciting. For most students, it is their first experience to live on their own and without much supervision. Although the drinking age in America is 21, alcohol use is common among university freshman. Drinking habits among university students can be extreme and cause problems. Many social activities during this period revolve around alcohol, and unfortunately binge drinking (drinking large amounts of alcohol to become very drunk) is common. Drinking often occurs at parties held by fraternities or by students in off-campus housing. Generally, these kinds of gatherings provide students with a number of opportunities to socialize and meet new people. Unlike in Korea where young people sit around a table sharing drinks and food, American university parties might fill an entire room, apartment or house with students moving freely from group to group and joining one conversation after another throughout the night. Aside from these gatherings, most universities have a very rich variety of clubs and organizations from athletic teams to political groups for students to join. Joining this type of group often provides a wealth of social contacts and events.

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