What is September enrollment? Six months of freedom that broaden your future ─ Choosing September enrollment

I attended a local high school with an international focus. I chose that high school believing that “English would be my strength,” but I wasn’t actually very good at English, and I finally obtained EIKEN Grade Pre-2 in July of my third year. I think I was one of the last among my classmates to pass. I had never studied abroad, and my only experience was a school trip to the UK when I was in high school.

The reason I chose APU simply comes down to wanting to talk with many different people. To tell the truth, I wasn’t originally very interested in studying abroad or in multicultural environments. At an open campus event I joined because it was an international-focused university, I listened to a presentation by senior students and was drawn to the fulfilling campus life they described. My high school had an international focus, but September enrollment was rare; out of 120 classmates, only two of us chose to enroll in September. My teachers and parents were strongly opposed for reasons such as “you’ll delay getting a job” and “it will be a financial burden.”

A turning point came for me—who had already been accepted for April enrollment—when I received an invitation from a friend who had decided to enroll in September. “How about doing volunteer work in Thailand for six months?” I immediately thought, “I want to do it.” and reapplied for September enrollment in the second application period (March). I promised my parents that I would prepare the funds myself and saved 500,000 yen by working part-time.

I taught music at an orphanage in Thailand, and I also taught Japanese. I brought 80 recorders with me at my own expense. As part of that, there was also cultural exchange, and I introduced Japanese culture using sushi and anime as themes. The children showed a great deal of interest. I learned that “you can communicate even without a common language.” And I also came to truly appreciate “the importance of relying on others.” Above all, I was deeply impressed by Thailand’s hospitality, and I became a more proactive person as a result. Unfortunately, it was shortened to three months because I got sick, but I’m still glad I went. The greatest asset I gained was learning how kind people can be.

During my gap year I was able to really face myself, and there were things I could only feel at that time. Also, having an experience that wasn’t just studying abroad and planning my own volunteer project gave me confidence. After enrolling, I felt that one good thing about starting in September is that interactions with international students naturally happen. I enjoy being able to talk with friends from many different countries every day. To be honest, I wasn’t confident about my English ability. But it turned out to be totally fine. After enrolling, I use English for about 60% of my day. I was able to naturally become close with international students through post-enrollment activities, such as shopping tours. I’ve also made friends from Korea, Myanmar, and Taiwan.

I haven’t found exactly what I want to do yet, but by making use of what I’ve learned about regional revitalization and social issues in the Faculty of Sustainability and Tourism, I hope to be involved in community projects and international cooperation in the future. At university, while looking for opportunities to put what I learn into practice, I want to take on volunteer work and internships so that I can discover my strengths.