Dear Reader,

“Even on your busiest days, know how to enjoy one hour of beer with your loved ones.”

That’s probably the most valuable lesson my dad has ever taught me, and the one I try never to forget. My dad is one of the busiest people I know, waking up at six thirty in the morning and returning at ten in the evening. If I had spent a day like that, I would crash into bed as soon as I arrived home in order to get every minute of sleep possible. My dad, instead, grabs two Guinness cans from the fridge and sits down at the table across me, handing me one. “Jjan,” he says, and I clink my beer with his. Taking a sip, I ask if he isn’t tired and if he doesn’t want to sleep after that long, exhausting day. He tells me: “I am tired, but I don’t want to sleep yet. I need time to rest, dear.”

Keeping up with hobbies and friends has been relatively easy when I was an underclassman, but now as I get busier (part of that might come from overestimating my abilities to juggle everything), I increasingly find it difficult to free up enough time for myself. But it is during these busy times I really start to understand what my dad means: “rest” and “sleep” are similar, but very different at the same time. Rest is the process of recharging yourself. Sleeping, or lying in bed doing nothing, might help with my physical tiredness, but it doesn’t with restoring the mental energy that gets me through everything I will have to face the next day (which will probably be as busy as today). That is why I still try my best to squeeze in time to visit the Sports Complex to do indoor climbing, go on a late-night walk, or have quality conversations with friends over good meals. Days that go by without this mental recharge process leave me extremely drained, and I find myself more prone to spiral into negative thoughts. I try to keep reminding myself of my dad’s advice that even on the busiest days, I should find time to do at least one small thing for myself. 

As the midterm season rolls around the corner, that process is sadly getting harder, and I’m sure it’s something all KAIST students can relate to around this time of the year. Still, I deeply hope that you, dear Reader, will be able to afford an hour today to do something that you truly enjoy to fill up your mental energy. And perhaps, today, Herald can be your recharging station, a short break from your studies to explore what the world has to offer for us.

Check out our Humor section, a new section launched this semester, where our junior staff reporters provide you with a short, entertaining read to lighten up your mood. Trying good food or listening to music can certainly be a way to relax — visit Culture, where we recommend some Korean autumn food to enjoy and songs from a new K-pop band you might want to check out. Do you enjoy reading books? Visit Society, where an interview with the Book Promotion Committee discusses the new reading events that are to be hosted in KAIST. And, amid all the assignments and tests that we are madly fighting off one by one, if you are perhaps contemplating on the reason behind all of that hard work and your future path after KAIST, read this month’s Feature, where we have interviewed various KAIST graduate students, professors, and alumni to share their experiences and advices in this life journey.

So, what are you waiting for? Jump into this month’s issue, explore new ideas and new stories, and most importantly, secure time to recharge yourself during this difficult time of year. It’s a busy time, but that’s not a good enough excuse to stop you from being happy.

Resting to survive,

Jisun Lee

Editor-in-Chief