Mr. Marcos Souza is a 4th year student of the Faculty of International Liberal Arts (FILA). He talked about why he chose Soka University and FILA, far away from his hometown: Brazil, and how he felt about FILA.
Name: Marcos Souza
Grade: 4th year
Home Country: Brazil
Favorite FILA Course: Qualitative Research Methods, Introduction to History
Favorite Book: 21 Lessons for the 21st Century (Yuval Harari)
Hobbies: Writing songs, watching movies, dancing
Why did you choose Soka University and FILA?
I first heard of FILA through a friend who enrolled in the program when FILA was in its first years. Through her sharing, I learned about FILA in a down-to-Earth way and I also heard about its benefits in fostering a global perspective of knowledge and friendship. After thorough research about other universities, I decided to choose Soka University because of its humanistic values, and to choose FILA because of the diverse curriculum and opportunities to have classes in multiple fields.
What kind of tools did you use to choose a university?
I organized a study group with some friends who wanted to apply for universities abroad. Some of us had no idea how the application process for college abroad was like. Through our weekly meetings, we encouraged each other, studied English, and went through the application processes in detail. We also invited two Brazilian students who were enrolled in FILA, and they answered all my questions with their lived experiences. They told me about the program in detail and the challenges of daily life. That was amazing because I could feel that I was not alone, and SOKA FILA became my first option for my undergraduate program.
How is the student life at FILA like?
With members of the Modern Dance Club
The strong point of FILA is that its diverse range of options allows us to try different subjects. Thanks to that, I was able to learn fields that come from macroeconomics to the history of ancient and modern Japan. Life at FILA requires responsibility since we have the freedom to shape our courses in many different ways. My academic advisor has guided me in answering my questions about time management, priorities, and plans. I was able to make an incredible number of meaningful friends throughout my years in FILA, from many different countries including Japan. I will treasure these friends for the rest of my life. In my first year, I joined the Modern Dance Club, and through its weekly practices, I could meet even more people and immerse myself in the mindset of being a world citizen through daily life actions.
What do you like about FILA?
With FILA classmates
I like the interdisciplinary approach that the program has. Friends from the same faculty are studying different subjects, so I always learn so much through discussions with them. I also love the sense of camaraderie in FILA which you feel that you are not alone. It’s incredible to see not only myself but my friends also gaining confidence in speaking English more naturally, and because of that I was able to make meaningful friendships because learning a new language has been a bridge to global friendship at Soka. Each class has its own set of students, and I like that because I can work with different people from the first year to the last year of FILA. The sense of kindness and help is evident since we receive support from our seniors, and now I am able to help my juniors. We are here to help each other.
What do you struggle with about FILA?
I definitely struggled a lot with the amount of homework in my first year! It was much more than what I was expecting. Time management was also another point since it was very hard to balance classes, homework, club activities, and my part-time jobs. I also struggled with English a lot in my first two semesters since I had never spoken English in a classroom setting before. Here, my friends were instrumental in helping me cope with my challenges. I patiently tried my best to improve my grades, and today I can safely and happily say I surpassed every single challenge!
What do you want to learn and experience in FILA?
I want to make even more friends! Some people might be scared to use English to start a conversation, but I understand the struggle because this is not my first language either, so mistakes are natural and part of our beautiful journey. But even if it was, I would be happy to focus on my academic English. I want to learn more from our professors, not only about the content of the class but also how the content of classes can help me strengthen my skills as a world citizen so I can apply the knowledge to my future paths after graduation. Lastly, I want to create memories in FILA with my friends that I will carry forever in my heart.
What are your future plans?
I have so many dreams! One of them was coming to study in the FILA program. Now, my plans are to pursue a master's degree in another country and work either in the audiovisual or the educational field. Ultimately, I want to work on something I find value in and something that allows my creativity to flow. FILA gave me the soft skills that are so required in modern society and allowed me to, as my academic advisor says, continually unlearn, relearn, and learn. So now I’m able to face the next academic challenges.
Please trust me on this: you can do it!!! Build your network of friends and rely on them when things get hard. Also, study a lot and focus on your time management, especially for the first year. Don’t compare yourself with your classmates because your path is unique, especially in FILA. Ask your friends and professors questions but don’t overthink about what others are doing. FILA alumni and seniors have always been a message away whenever I needed some help. So I want to become this person as well. Don’t hesitate to ask for help but also if you can help your friends: something you’re good at might be the exact thing your friend needs support on. I was able to not only have class with my FILA friends but also perform with them in events of FILA and of Soka in general, going out with them and growing up together. Enjoy each year because they are really different from each other. I am forever grateful for this ocean of dreams that is FILA!
ページ公開日：2024/01/23 12:30
