Yujin Kim

CORE 101 - Anchor Seminar 2024

Following my time in classes as well as looking back on my journal entry for Week 0 of

CORE101, I have uncovered a lot about my values at UP. I said that I would like to use my time

in UP to explore different opportunities, and I think that I have definitely done that throughout

my first semester. I think I have learned a lot more about my academic values because I have

changed my major a lot since being here, and as such, I have had the opportunity to explore

multiple different academic programs. I started out in the GWSS major and then transferred to

PHW and then officially decided on English. Fortunately, most of my classes were core courses,

so it didn’t affect my coursework too much. Addressing exploring different opportunities

throughout my time at UP, I have found that for the first time, I’m more open-minded to theology

and philosophy courses. I think that both those courses, especially theology, have helped me

view things that I had thought I had already heard everything about in a completely new light. I

feel like my entire worldview has had to be reshaped to incorporate more of my own autonomy

into it than abiding to this view that everything is outside of my own control. I think it speaks to

me having redefined my values to include more autonomy and free thinking than I initially

thought I’d be allowed to have. This might relate to the values of liberal arts as a way of thinking

broadly and wondering deeply by teaching me how liberal arts can provide a more holistic view

and not only the world but ourselves for us to have a deeper understanding of what really matters

to us and how that shapes who we are. It really teaches me the importance of using time at

university to think more about ourselves and our core beliefs.

In terms of showing up well, I wrote that to show up well means to engage actively in

open communication to expand critical thinking. Based on my observations of successful,

productive class sessions, I believe that in order for a class to be productive, it should allow those
Yujin Kim

CORE 101 - Anchor Seminar 2024

with differing opinions to be allowed to have their thought process heard, considered, and

validated. It doesn’t have to be agreed with, but it should be validated. I think that this speaks to

what values can be best used to engage my classes and classmates in that the values of not being

afraid to disagree and share one’s true thoughts instead of expected thoughts in order to

encourage discussion in the classroom and building a rapport with classmates are important to do

in order to truly critically think. Goals I have based on what I wrote in my journal entry to make

the most of my academic experience and opportunities I have for thinking broadly in my UP

class is to participate in every class I have at least once a week and to write at least a paragraph

for every writing assignment I have. I think that these are good goals for me because

participating once a week allows others to speak and for me to hear worldviews different from

my own while also contributing as well as putting a lot of thought and effort into my writing.

Looking at the entry I wrote in Week 6, two UP core habits that resonate with the type of

thinker I want to be would be faith and ethics along with aesthetics and creativity. I am very

comfortable with faith and ethics since I have found myself greatly enjoying the subjective

approach to theology that UP allows, and a course I’m interested in taking in that field is THE

205: Biblical Texts. This is a continuation of a current course I’m taking now, which is THE105:

Engaging Ultimate Questions. I am anticipating being able to incorporate my current questions

about what the Bible says about worldview in this course through an expansion of the Biblical

texts we’re already reading. As for Aesthetics and Creativity, although I have a lot of respect and

admiration for those who pursue the artistic craft and strongly believe in the value of telling

stories that can’t be illustrated in real life as well as it can be in fiction, I have a hard time being a

part of that creative process. I am currently taking a lot of courses which help me expand my

worldview and as such help me look at creative pieces that I’ve always thought about in an even
Yujin Kim

CORE 101 - Anchor Seminar 2024

deeper light in terms of the themes that are resonating even more to me than they already did,

and as such, with these new things I’ve learned about myself from my philosophy and theology

courses, I’m very eager to learn how to illustrate the beauty and importance of those themes in

creative pieces.

Based on my values, observations, and interests, one tangible hope I would like to do

would be to join at least one club and regularly attend their meetings, likely the Korean Student

Association and the Center For Gender and Sexuality. I chose these two clubs because I think

they connect a lot to the values that I’ve formed and strengthened since I’ve been here of faith

formed established chosen identities. One intangible hope for the ways I’d like to be more than

my major as I move forward with my education is to form more of an introspective relationship

with myself and my satisfaction with where I am in my current place in life. I think pursuing

different academic coursework will definitely help with that in which it will give me chances to

explore different facets of myself. I’ll show up well by giving a lot of attention to my presence in

class to actually make the most of my academic experience.