When it comes to this generation, we can call it “the globalized generation” because of the increased interaction between countries. As the people who are preparing to launch into the generation, many university students are trying to do a lot of things to react to this situation. However, defining what university students should do is very difficult because the concept is a little ambiguous. Nevertheless, university students should do something special, passionately, in order to be a globally talented person. In my opinion, in order to be a ‘globalized person’, we should be able to make others from various countries be our friends. Here are three behaviors that university students should follow to be ‘that’person.
  First, we should be fluent in English by studying it hard to make others from various countries be our friends. English is not the only official language of English-speaking countries like U.S., Canada, U.K., Ireland, Australia and many more. However, English is the most common language used by about 1.5 billion people all around the world. If we can speak English well as we study it hard, we will have the opportunity to make all of them our companions. Furthermore, we can be close to others who have diverse backgrounds and speak English when we too are fluent in English. People usually feel kinship with those who use same language as them. Likewise, we can make 1.5 billion people feel close to us when we use the same language with them; English. For these two reasons, we have to try to be a good English speaker.
  Second, being friendly is very important for us to get along with others from different countries. When people meet a stranger who has very contrasting appearance, culture, or language with them, it is natural for them to have feelings of hostility towards the stranger. The only way that can help us to overcome this attitude is to be friendly because all people cannot help but open their mind toward a stranger who is kind to them. That is, being amiable toward people from other different countries is the universal key to unlock their firmly closed doors. In addition, people usually prefer the person with a cordial mind, so we can remain ourselves in others’memories by being kind. Look around, find others who are from a place which is totally different from where you are, and then you will be welcomed by them.
  Most importantly, in order to get these global village people to be our friends, we should be able to understand that each person from other country could be different. All countries naturally must have their own distinctive cultures, and it results in each person having different characteristics from our own. Sometimes we can’t overcome this difference and end up just giving in to misunderstanding. That’s because it usually makes us embarrassed. However, nobody can be same as us because of the different backgrounds that each person has. That’s why we have to try to accept the fact that anybody can have distinctive characters from ours. Moreover, we can expand our limit of making friends when we understand others’ differences because it can make us broaden our point of view of others. Thus, we should have to understand the differences of each person from various countries.
  As more time passes, the more this generation will become globalized. In other words, we can’t avoid the status quo. In this situation, we have no choice but to try to become a globalized individual. As it is already mentioned, it is essential for that globalized person to have the ability to make the people from other countries be their friends too. Studying English hard, being friendly, and understanding the differences of each person will help us to make others from other countries be our buddies. That is the reason why we should follow the three behaviors in this globalized generation to be a globalized person.

By Kim Jeong-hee
Dept. of English Language
and Literature