【WHY SOKA FILA】-The reason why I chose SOKA FILA

I first heard about Soka University from my mother, who is an alumna of the university, and listening to her talk about her positive experiences in Soka University had left me intrigued. During my summer break in 2024, I had the opportunity to visit Soka University since my older brother had already enrolled in the university that year. When I first came, I was very impressed with how spacious and clean the university was, with plants and trees surrounding the area adding a nice touch of greenery. I was also able to meet some of the teachers and staff during my visit, in which they greeted and welcomed me with warmth. That experience has made me realize that Soka University would be a great environment for me to continue my studies as a university student.

I started to do my own research of the university through their website, one of them being the faculties. As I was still unsure with what I wanted to study for university, the descriptions I read in the FILA section caught my attention. Knowing that I would be able to learn a wide range of subjects where I could explore my interests and develop deeper knowledge in different fields, I decided to pick FILA as the faculty of my choice.

Going through my first semester at the moment, student life at FILA feels very exciting since I am able to experience many kinds of university activities and learn subjects that are new to me. In the first month, us newly admitted FILA students were invited to join a festival in Hachioji along with some FILA seniors who guided us throughout the day. It became a great occasion to directly experience Japanese culture and allowed me to get along with both the new FILA students and the FILA seniors. I also got to join a summer festival in university which was held for FILA students, where we got to play fun games and wear yukata, which became a very memorable experience for me.

I have truly felt that the FILA students are all very warm and welcoming, giving their best in supporting us new students to experience a fulfilling university life while settling in a new environment. From the course registration process to studying in the classes, I have gotten support and advice from them which has helped me navigate through my first semester. Though I felt nervous at first, interacting with my peers and seniors in FILA throughout my university life has made me more comfortable and I felt a place of belonging being a part of the FILA family.

Going through my first semester, I have been able to experience many memorable university activities and build wonderful friendships with many people from around the world. Being surrounded by friends, seniors, and staff who are all very passionate and supportive allowed me to challenge myself in actively participating in university events and activities. Though I am still relatively new in this university, I was able to feel myself developing, both academically and nonacademically, which is something that I am very proud to achieve.

To prospective international students, studying at Soka University will open doors to different kinds of opportunities that will allow you to learn and develop yourself in your own unique way. Having been in the same position as you, I understand how intimidating it could be to move into a different country and learn in an unfamiliar environment. Not only that, having to go through the application process was also a challenging and stressful experience for me, where there were many ups and downs during the process. There will be difficult challenges you will encounter along the way, but what matters is to continue advancing forward and overcome those difficulties step by step. Soka University is a place of learning and growth, and I am sure that there are many exciting things waiting for you. We are here to support you in your journey and I am very delighted to warmly welcome you to the FILA family!