One feature of the University life is that many students who live in various regions get together. They used to meet senior or junior who lives in the same region through an old boy's association of the same high school. University serve the bus to students  in order that they come back home peacefully in the harvest festival or New years day. Like that University is becoming a place that several local students can harmonize each other. However, the  most problem that local students undergo is to find the house that they will live. 
Of course, to leave their home that they have lived until now and live in a strange place is uncomfortable. It is a pity that students who entered an university just now are seek for a room, looking a wall  news paper here and there. Finally they choose one thing among to live by cooking food for oneself, to live by live in lodging house and to live in a room that the examinee live for preparing a test.
However their worry is not ended in here. They concern what they eat and miss the food that their mother cook in home.  Many local students feel a burden of expense that they spend on eating a meal every day and of choosing a food every day, in the long run, they solve their meal as 'ramyeon‘ or 'fast food' instead of ’rice‘. What can solve this problem? One thing that can solve the problem of both residence and meal is to live in a dormitory. Some people don't determine about it because they don't want to be placed under control in dormitory. So, let's know student's life in our Chung-Ang university's dormitory. The Chung-Ang Herald (CAH) met the president of both men's dormitory and women's to hear not only a number of students, facilities and their life but also their human story.  

Men's dormitory - HyunAm-HakSa
Men's dormitory have a name which is called as 'HyunAm-HakSa. 'HyunAm' is a word has the same meaning with 'heukseok' of 'heukseok-dong' that our university is located
It is said that it compared 'the will of students in dormitory to be a great man to 'a big rock'. 'HyunAm-HakSa' building is located above a back gate of Chung-Ang University. It can accept about 136 students and has 27 rooms, which are for 8, 6 and 4 students in a room.
There are 'computer room' students can work a report or  print their data and 'physical strength room' students can make a healthy body and grow a sound-minded in the facilities for convenience. The table-tennis facilities are also prepared in there, so the interest of students enhanced after You Seong-min player got a gold-medal. And the rest room contains a home theater which students bought from events in CAU festival are becoming an easy space to students. Now HyunAm-HakSa has two clubs. One is a RSC, another is a 'Meriyas'. RSC(Red Socks Club) is a soccer club which the students can promote friendship among the members and build up health. It occupied a victory in the semifinals in 2001, 2002 and 2004. 'Meriyas' is a baseball club. Even if its size is not large because it was made recently, we predict activity from now. '
HyunAm HakSa holds 4 big events every year. At first, there is a 'Blue dragon Festival‘ which is a festival for freshmen, holding out their foot in the university's life in the end of March  Through the practice for 3 weeks, freshmen can come into close relation with seniors and have a belonged emotion as a member of dormitory.
Next, they have an athletic meeting in May. Each floor among 4 floors becomes a same team, so the members of floor can make a mind of union and cooperation.
Third they go MT with women‘s dormitory. Because the building of man's dormitory and women's separated, they only faced each other in a dining room. Therefore both students have a choice that they can close each other through the preparing of it.
At the end, there are an anniversary of the opening of a school and CAU festival in the beginning of October. So, they hold an event that they throw men's dormitory open to the general students and enjoys CAU festival selling prepared foods. 

Women's Dormitory - 'Dongmaru'
Women's dormitory has a name of 'Dongmaru'
In the case of other dormitories, there are many dormitories which don't have a dining room. So, students solve their meals in a school restaurant or a restaurant which is located on outside of university. However, in the case of Chung-Ang University's Seoul dormitory, as both men and women use a dining room  in dormitory and they can reduce worry about meals. Three times meals a day are served, excepted for Sunday breakfast and the dinner on Tuesday and Thursday are served as special foods such as a cook of meat or chicken. Thanks to mothers who prepare a student's food with their own hands, students can have a meal securely every day..
'Dongmaru‘also has various events for union and harmony of students like 'HyunAm-HakSa'
In March, they holds a 'open house' which general students can visit a women's dormitory and know watch rooms or other facilities.
In Jun, there is a 'Nokwon Festival‘ that women students can also promote friendship among them through preparing this festival like men's festival 'Blue dragon Festival’. Although I said above, they have a MT that both men's dormitory and women's take part in together. From this MT(Membership Training), both men's dormitory and women's become one as a dormitory of Chung-Ang University.
Even though students have a trouble for preparing this event or festival, they can make a choice that they can know each other like a family. So, they can reduce their sorrow a half and add their happiness two times as talking about it in strange region(Seoul). I desire that all students of 'HyunAm-HakSa' and 'Dongmaru‘ will make a atmosphere like a family and spend a enjoyable university life.

Interview(men)

1. 'HyunAm HakSa' has a strong unity. Is there a special reason about it?

The union of 'HyunAm HakSa' is made by the interest about other students. The atmosphere, as not a senior but an old brother and not a junior but younger brother is the large power to lead the unity of 'HyunAm Haksa'.

5. I think that it is not easy to control about 130 students. What is the most difficult thing?

The most difficult thing as a president is how to solve rationally and reasonably a conflict between the right which students can be guaranteed, like individual self-control, and the rules they must keep without exception. However, I feel a 보람 when I see that dormitory students accomplish both university life and dormitory life, experiencing friendship in 'HyunAm HakSa.

6. How have you stayed in good terms with the women's dormitory?

Although the buildings of the men's dormitory and women's are apart, they can face each other when they eat meals in the same dining room. Whenever the events of 'HyunAm Saksa' or 'Dongmaru' happen, they celebrate each other for the first time and give help unsparingly. We are on good terms with each other as 'one family'.

7. If you say something to the students out of the dormitory?

I want you to have a big interest so that 'HyunAm HakSa' will be the best dormitory in the nation with human nature and friendship not strict regulations.

Interview(women)

1. What is the features or merit of the dormitory, compared with living and cooking food for oneself or living in lodgings?

First most students of the dormitory come to start a Seoul life with the dormitory life. So when they feel strange and have a problem in Seoul life, they can receive good advice from each other. Second, if they live alone, it is difficult to eat every meal. However, in case of the expense of meals is contained in the expense of the dormitory, so they can eat easily. Lastly, we never feel lonely like when we come back in vacant house. 

2. Why is the women's dormitory called 'Dongmaru'?

'Dong(棟)' symbolizes a person who will be a support of a family or nation. ‘Maru' means a place and house. So 'Donmaru' means 'a place where a person who will be a support of a family or nation stays'.

3. Recently how about a number of students and the size of a room in the dormitory?

We can accept about 150 students. Two students stay in a room and the size of the room is proper for students to live without inconvenience.

4. What do you want to improve in side of establishments?

Because the TV room doesn't have a sound absorption facility, the rooms near there have a trouble from the sound. We also have inconvenience from a broken goods or old furniture. As the dormitory uses the university's server, the network problems were happing frequently. Even though it takes a long time, we will try to improve the facility's matter little by little by the discussion with of university.

5. Lately if you have a word for the students in the dormitory...

I feel that the shape that each student tries to live hard is a good and beautiful. There are some inconvenient works from the life of the community in the dormitory because you lived within 'a fence of family' until the high school period. I am happy when students regard the life in the dormitory as a place where we can live conveniently. I hope that you experience a wonderful university life and make unforgettable memories.

by Song Kwang-ho
News Editor