1st. Yu Ri (the Faculty of International Studies)

Winning the first prize of the 35th CBNU Essay Contest is a great honour for me as a student of the Faculty of International Studies. All classes of my faculty are taught in English and all of my assignments, papers, and presentations are submitted in English. So, at times, the use of English in academic writing has been a real challenge to overcome. I remember that as a freshman I struggled to write even one page of a paper in English, so I feel that this prize really represents the progress that I have made over the last 3 years at CBNU. I saw this contest as an opportunity to challenge myself and it is a great pleasure for me to be able to see the improvement that I have made as a student. I have worked hard to gradually develop my writing skills by using English language news sources such as the BBC and also by writing academic papers on a diverse range of topics. The topic I wrote this paper on was nationalism and the Olympics and I feel it encompasses a challenge that is acutely faced today by the society of Korea. We need to ask ourselves how we feel as a homogeneous society and whether we are conducting ourselves well as global citizens. I have great hope for Korea and I think that our hosting of the Pyeongchang Games in 2018 will be an inspiring event in which we can make positive changes. I would like to thank the CBNU for this opportunity to express my ideas and to challenge my competency. I know I still have much to improve upon, so this prize really reinvigorates my desire to keep progressing and to continue to challenge myself.

2nd. Kim Ji-eun (the Department of English Language & Literature)

Frankly, I didn't even expect to be rewarded a prize until I got a phone call to notify me of such honorable, but astonishing news. I thank my father who gave me, even though he didn't actually mean it, a good inspiration for the topic. Truely, what made me decide to write this essay was his habitual saying: "Terrible drivers must be females, since they are usually inferior and less-skilled than males."
As I mentioned in my paragraphs, for this kind of indiscreet expression of opinion may lead others, especially the children to a serious stereotype, I came to feel an urgent need of correction to our common ideas which are not always right. Unfortunately, I failed to change my old man's mind, but I still hope at least the young generation including me and my little brother can be freer from such stereotypes or generalization regardless of their social, financial or sexual positions.

3rd. Lee Ju-hyeon (The Department of Business Administration)
I used to think over and over again about relationship which made me both laugh and cry. I tried to write as frank as possible about the concept I and the society think of. Hoping for relationship to stay still in its original form even though we are living in hard-hearted world. However we have been hurt and cry due to person, we also overcome due to person. Like we get energy from the people aside of us! What I really wish is that more and more people enter into a sincere relationship not under necessity. Above all things, I hope all of you who are reading this right now become happy! Because we all deserve it! Lastly, I want to say thank you to my mom and dad who have believed in and supported me with love. And for those whom stays at my side in joy and sorrow. Thank you everyone and love ya!