It is better late than never,” they say. If we think about the meaning of the word “late” in this phrase, it could refer to the future beyond our future—retirement. While many of us are too busy worrying about the near future, no one really knows about their retirement, let alone plans ahead for it. After all, by that time, most of our dreams should have already been accomplished. If you were to take it a step further and imagine your dream retirement, what would it be like? Here are some ideas from four Korea University (KU) students.

Kim Da-yeon (’18, Business Administration)

I will probably make a bucket list when I get close to retirement and spend time checking things off the list until I die. I want to travel a lot and learn musical instruments, sports, cooking, and languages that I always wanted to learn. I also want to experience various things, meet many new people, and live a busy life. If I am married and have my own family by then, I want to spend a lot of time and create precious memories with them. I want to be able to avoid loneliness or boredom, which is often a problem among the elderly. But one thing I am worried about is whether I will be able to afford all the expenses—so I guess I will have to earn money and save a certain amount in advance for when I get old and spend it as much as possible then.

Lee Jangho (’19, English Language and Literature)

I did not have to think deeply about life after retirement, but I think I always unconsciously had an ideal image in mind. These thoughts include leaving the busy and hectic city that I will have lived in before retirement, spending my pension doing the things I would have wanted to do, living in a relatively quiet city or village, and enjoying leisure activities. Just like my ideal post-retirement life, I think there will be an image of post-retirement life that many people, like me, take for granted. However, the future is unpredictable. The possibility of an unexpected death in an accident at a young age is always there. As a result, I consider life after retirement to be a blessing these days. Many people make thorough plans for their post-retirement lives, but I think people easily become disappointed with them. It may seem important to plan your retirement, but it is okay to worry it may not work out as planned or be disappointed that it did not go as planned. In my opinion, just the gratitude for being able to live the rest of my life and a flexible attitude towards anything that can happen is enough for a retirement plan.

Lee Dong Kyu (’14, Department of International Studies)

I want to draw webtoons about myself after retirement. Elderly and webtoon artist are usually not coined together, but it is one of my future goals for two reasons. First, even when I get old, I do not want to forget my lifelong dream. Ever since I was young, webtoons have always made me smile and laugh. Seeing how it helps people to see their lives with more positive views, I determined that I would one day become a webtoon artist who can spread joy among people. Nowadays, however, I feel the pressure to spend more time studying and preparing for my imminent future – pushing webtoons further away from my priorities. I may have less time to draw, but webtoons are something that I do not want to give up. Secondly, I want to show my grandchildren my story in the form they can most relate to. When I was young, my grandmother often told me many stories and gave me snacks. Even after I grew older, she and I often talked about the bedtime stories that she used to tell me. After she passed away, however, the only way I could reminisce these warm moments was through my memories. If I ever have grandchildren, I want to give them something to remember the old me by.

Seol Hye soo (’16, Health Policy and Management)

Since I’m the type of person who tries to enjoy today rather than torturing myself in order to prepare for tomorrow, I don’t spend much time planning for the far future. However, at some point, like most others, I will face that future as a reality and figure it out. I do not picture it as my heyday nor as lethargic days with grey hairs. To be honest, I cannot imagine anything specific. I might be living in Berlin, maybe open a café near my place, or even start a business at the age of 60. But whatever I do, the most important priority for me then and now would be to always stay confident and never lose my courage, and to get out of my comfort zone to do something that makes me feel alive. I tend to constantly question whether I should spend my days doing things I like, or things others expect me to do. But I believe it is an essential process in living a healthy life. This habit of mine will probably stay the same now and in the future, as I work towards living a healthier and happier life.