Being preoccupied with present tasks and preparing for the future, it is easy to forget the child you were in the past. Yet everyone enjoys flipping through old photo albums, diaries, and letters that bring back nostalgia every now and then. For this month’s issue, The Granite Tower (GT) asked four Korea University (KU) students to share their most cherished childhood memories, revisiting moments of excitement and happiness.
Kim Seul Gi (‘22, International Studies)
The most cherished memory from my childhood is attending my friend John’s birthday party. John lived in a big, modern, rectangular house with a large backyard. He had a lot of unique pets such as a black sheep, a peacock, a flying squirrel, and several dogs and cats. John’s family also owned a trampoline, a swimming pool, a spa room, and a bouncy castle. John’s birthday party remains such a significant memory to me because of how much fun I had at the party. I remember jumping on the bouncy castle, petting the animals, and watching the flying squirrel fly from one corner of the room to the other, spending quality time with my friends, and most importantly, eating a lot of tasty food.
Park Chae-yeon (‘21, Public Administration)
What I miss most about my childhood was the unique experiences with the diverse group of friends I had in Saudi Arabia. I loved hanging out in my friend’s compound where we got to jump on bouncy castles, bake cakes and ride our bikes around it. I miss how I used to randomly do cartwheels with friends on grass patches or lawns too. We would laugh about it, and then lie down on that same grass to watch the clouds pass by and make fun of each other. We played Frisbee or tag with other friends from the compound and dived into the pool the next morning. It was generally a fun time filled with amazing friends, and a hopeful, innocent spirit, with no stress about the future.
Lee Min Jong (‘19, Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering)
I was riding my favorite skateboard to City Hall, where they were holding a Children’s Day event. On my way, I encountered a downhill road that my parents usually never let me ride down. Yet on that day, I just couldn’t hold back my excitement and curiosity. Unfortunately, I went too fast and broke my teeth after hitting a rock. I still have a vivid memory of that Children’s Day thirteen years ago. Some say you can realize the true value of the past only in the present. When I look at myself now, hesitating to try new things and being bound to various limitations, I miss those days when I was never scared to chase my dreams.
Oh Ji Su (‘20, Media and Communication)
Recently, I have been yearning to play handball. I was introduced to this sport as an elementary school student during physical education (PE) class. At my school, girls always played handball, while boys played soccer during PE. We would have practice sessions for large tournaments for both sports. I remember that we had a great team back then, so we won first place most of the time. The thrill and competitiveness of the sport have never left my mind. I still remember some of the games like they happened only yesterday. Due to these memorable moments, handball has always been my favorite sport and one that I really miss playing. Unfortunately, I stopped playing it when I transferred schools during middle school. However, I hope that I will have the opportunity to play it again in the future.
