At KAIST, the beginning of the spring season is marked by the gorgeous image of cherry blossoms at full bloom. The peak of the blooming cherry blossoms coincides with the annual strawberry parties, which many students look forward to. At this time, departments, student clubs, lab groups, high school classmates, freshmen orientation groups, or even just a small group of your closest friends gather outside to eat strawberries. The campus is filled with both students and outside visitors appreciating the warm weather and the beautiful scenery. It is KAIST’s peak season for visitors and one of the rare occasions when you will see students sitting outside and enjoying the fresh air.

In South Korea, cherry blossoms generally bloom between late March and early April, although forecasts may be accelerated by warmer weather. The flowers will remain in full bloom for a few days, and eventually, flowers start to fall for the next week or so. During this two-week period, people flock to popular cities like Jinhae or Yeouido, which are famous for their natural scenery, and make full use of the gorgeous background for countless numbers of pictures.

Luckily for KAIST students, there is no need for a ride to Jinhae or a bus trip to Seoul with the multitude of cherry blossom trees scattered around our main campus. Additionally, starting this year, the Undergraduate Student Council opened its first Cherry Blossom Festival as a part of its Happy KAIST 2014 campaign where students can now appreciate the stunning beauty of cherry blossoms even at night. The backlit lighting gives a vintage touch to the cherry blossoms at night that looks great even in amateur pictures.

Unfortunately, not all students choose to enjoy the cherry blossoms during these two weeks. A surprising portion of the students that I meet at KAIST is so determined to prepare for post-KAIST life. The blooming of cherry blossoms is not enough of a reason to break away from their daily habits of spending hours memorizing formulas and doing exercise problems for calculus, cramming obscure names of molecules in biological processes or cycles, and finishing up their experiments for individual research at their labs. But to what end? They say that they are preparing for graduate school or medical school, or just simply because. Would it really hurt their chances of success if they put their busy schedules on hold for an hour or two? Honestly, workaholics are the ones who would benefit the most from a relaxing break to relieve the pressure from their stressful lives.

A few years ago, as part of the guilty party myself, I did not see the purpose in looking at the same flowers every year. Apart from the routine strawberry parties every spring, there was nothing special. This spring semester, I have grown to reconsider my dismissive attitude. Yes, cherry blossoms flower annually. And so? Did regularity ever stop us from celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, or holidays? Maybe it is just me being sentimental, but knowing that this is my last semester to enjoy cherry blossoms here at KAIST, I have come to value not only the cherry blossoms but also the company and memories that you share with them. A stark contrast from the artificially lit rooms that we are all too familiar with, there is something therapeutic about surrounding ourselves with flowers, sunlight, and friends. Although I often get lost within my 22-credit schedule and student club activities, temporarily removing myself from the chaos to enjoy the natural scenery in the moment is surprisingly calming.

The ephemeral bloom of the cherry blossoms serve as a reminder that there is a limited time for enjoying opportunities before they eventually fade away. Even if these blooms come annually, you never know what might happen in the next year and should appreciate them when you can. Our lives are not always about the future and what we hope to do. Do not spend all your time stressing and constantly preparing for the next day, next week, next month, and next year. Do not lose sight of some of the simple pleasures of life. All in all, you are still living in the present. Take a break, go out and smell the flowers.