Author: Chris Bae, Email: baeh5@unlv.nevada.edu
Date Last Modified: 11/18/2024

I recently attended a concert by one of my favorite rappers, Travis Scott. I had to stand and wait for four hours before the performance started, but as soon as it began, all the fatigue disappeared. I was overwhelmed with chills, and I felt incredibly happy. It was one of the best experiences I've had since coming to the U.S. The people at the concert probably had various reasons for being there. Some might have been die-hard fans of the artist, others may have wanted to feel the intense energy, and some might have just come along with their friends. It was fascinating to see people with such different purposes all united in excitement for one person. For me, it was also a time to release all my stress, making it an incredibly memorable experience.

Last weekend, I joined a Grand Canyon tour organized by UNLV's international team. The tour included not only my global buddies but also participants from other groups. During the trip, I met a professor from Korea. After dinner, we had a long conversation, discussing various topics, including my career concerns. The professor offered advice, which led me to think even more deeply about my future. It seems that every time I meet new people and engage in meaningful conversations here in the U.S., my concerns grow. However, these are positive concerns. They make me reflect on myself and push me to improve. Although my time in the U.S. is limited, I want to meet even more people and continue to grow as much as possible.

Early on, I noticed that age doesn’t seem to matter much in relationships in the U.S. Initially, whenever I met someone new, I would often wonder, “How old is this person?” However, after living here for about three months, I’ve found myself thinking less and less about it. In fact, there are still many friends whose ages I don’t know. I think it’s a positive aspect of relationships here because it allows for more equal, horizontal connections. In Korea, age is often an important factor, naturally creating vertical relationships, which can sometimes hinder open communication. I believe that respect should be based on the person, not their age.

I’ve come to realize the importance of having hobbies. When I was in Korea, I spent weekdays studying and often continued studying on weekends, which sometimes made my life feel monotonous. After coming to the U.S., I started participating in various activities with the mindset of using my time more efficiently. Through these experiences, I learned how much hobbies can impact my quality of life. Just as working hard is important, knowing how to enjoy life is equally essential. Taking time to have fun allows me to refresh myself, which in turn improves my efficiency and productivity.

I worked on writing and modifying the URDF code for a sample robot. Additionally, I started modeling for the inverted pendulum, which will be used for actual learning experiments. Since the code and resources for the inverted pendulum were in Chinese, I studied and organized them thoroughly. I successfully operated the inverted pendulum using the existing code, and my next goal is to make it function using machine learning.