Have you ever heard of “Hongwarts”? If you have, you can proudly say that you are a student of Hongik University. The term “Hongwarts” a compound word of “Hong”, from “Hongik University”, and “warts” from “Hogwarts”. For those who have no idea what I am talking about, let me give you some background information. Hogwarts is also notable for its intricate structure, from which the term “Hongwarts” comes. Just like Hogwarts, Hongik University’s campus has complex building arrangements, and their similarity has earned our school the famous nickname, Hongwarts. However, because of this distinctive feature, often other merits of our school are often neglected. Today, I would like to introduce you to different facilities we can enjoy as Hongik University students. So, let’s go on a wonderful journey around Hongwarts, shall we?

1. Where to study during the exam season?

1. Building T study hall

• Building T, also known as the “4^th Engineering Building”, is mostly originally for computer engineering major students. However, during exam time, Building T becomes our favorite place to study. Huge study halls are located on the 3^rd and 4^th floors of this building. Before going inside, one must first reserve one’s seat, and it becomes a designated seat for the next few hours. Since it is the most popular studying place for Hongik University students, be sure to reserve your seat faster than other people! As you know, the early bird gets the worm.

2. Study halls for each department

• If you failed to get a seat for yourself in Building T, it is a little early for you to be discouraged, because you can seek a place in your major, or department, buildings. For example, if you are an engineering major student, you can seek a study hall in Building K. It is located on the 5^th floor of Building K. Although the number of seats is much more limited than that of Building T, the seats are better quality. Moreover, it is not as popular, so there is a higher chance for those who read this article to successfully reserve their spot. Perhaps if you are in the college of education, there is a reading room you can choose to study in. So, why won’t you look for “special” study halls only allowed for your college or major?

3. Central Library

• In the Central Library, located inside our campus, there are many places that you can choose to do your work. Not only does it have enormous study halls just like Building T, it also has a myriad of tables you can choose from. Wandering around the library floors, it is rather easy for you to find a place to sit down and do your work. For those who like the atmosphere that a library embodies, I recommend you turn around and head to the central library!

4. Study hall next to the 2nd dormitory

• Right next to the 2nd dormitory, there is a building which contains a study hall on the 2nd floor. It might be a perfect choice for you to study in. Unlike Buildings K and T, it does not have a reservation system, so it might be a little harder for you to find a seat. However, because of this feature, it does not have a time limit for you to use a seat. So, for those who want to study at a place for a long time and not move around, this building would be perfect for you.

5. Cafes

• Other than study halls around the campus, don’t forget that there are other choices, too! For instance, one can easily spot cafes inside the campus. However, we will talk about them more deeply in the following issues, so check back later!

2. Relaxing spots around the campus

1. Men’s and Women’s Lounges

• Around the campus, there are many lounges that you can take a rest in. Among them, I would like to introduce to you the ones in Building D. Building D holds club practice rooms. However, did you know that it also has men’s and women’s lounges? I have some reasons why I prefer to use this lounge over the other lounges at the school. First, not many people know about this place, so it is easy to quietly rest here. Second, it has beds inside, so one can take a nap, or if you have studied overnight, you can sleep here for a couple hours and then go to your class!

2. Relaxing spot behind Building A

• Finding yourself wandering around the campus, you sometimes might see yourself in a quiet, peaceful place that seems plausible for you to relax in. Here, right behind Building A, there is a rest area where people can just sit down and chill. It would be nice to just sit here and relax, looking at the blue sky.

3. Rooftops

• As you can see every day, Hongik University has a lot of buildings in the campus. Did you know that many of them have an open rooftop that one can go onto? For example, in Building T, there is a little park on the rooftop, right above the 10^th floor. When you are tired of studying, just relaxing on the rooftops of the buildings would be really helpful for you in managing your physical and mental health. Other than on Building T, why don’t you try looking for a rooftop on your major’s building, too?

After the advent of Covid-19, our life as university students has changed to an extent where it even became impossible for us to acquire knowledge on campus. However, as time has passed by, the pandemic restirctions have been lifted. Therefore, at the beginning of this semester, it became possible for us to start classes on campus with people “physically” in the classroom. Although it may be a little controversial on merits and demerits on this so-called “non-face-to-face” classes, I can confidently say that we can now enjoy the former that I have introduced.

Taehwi Lee  xognl1124@naver.com

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