While trying to decide which subject I wanted to write for the editorial, I sat down and wrote down all the things that occurred to me this month, coming up with off the top of my head things that I felt were memorable. I thought it would be a great idea to share two mistakes that turned into valuable life lessons and gave me the tools to change my inner narrative.

1. On managing time
Let us start with this question: “Are you good at managing your time?” As an expert time-consumer, my answer is, “No.”
For the past three weeks, I was slammed with deadlines at work, and the midterm exams butted in right after I finished juggling the tasks. I remember telling one of my friends, “I have an exam tomorrow but I do not feel prepared at all. The whole point is that every exam is a roll of the dice because I always run out of time.” No matter how hard I try or how many hours I work, I always end up being chased by time.

It is weird to see some people achieve more happiness and productivity in the same amount of time as everyone else, while I do not. To resolve this problem, I concluded that I only need to apply one powerful concept: giving myself a pause at the right moment. Resting is essential, especially when burnt out. Before getting to calculate how long it takes to work on my own schedule, I decided to spare some time only meant for resting, above all else. This small breakaway allowed me to be in control of my own time, and efficiently move on to the next step.

2. On spending money
The most dominant thing on my mind as a college student is not wanting to be a financial burden on my parents. Growing up, though my parents could afford to assist me, money was often a source of tension in my family. I developed a sense of frugality, but it did not serve me well after I moved to Seoul.
This city forced me to constantly buy impractical things. My brain has had a hard time telling the difference between what I actually need and do not need. No wonder I spent almost 200,000 won in just a couple days. That was the moment I felt the need to change my narrative on money.

Knowing how to manage money is extremely important in order to take ownership of life. I needed to work on approaching money in a completely different way. When I get an allowance from my parents, I will set aside some money, and never use it. Not only will it economize my money, but from a long term perspective, that money could be a great help on a rainy day.

By Moon Chae-un
Editor-in-Chief