Interviews
What is attractive aspect of seminars from the perspective of active members?

The place for actions and realization

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Question: What is the seminar for you?

Wada: For each student, the meanings of seminars are different. However, we can select the seminar for ourselves, in that sense the seminar is one of the most important places in University. Although we have two seminars of Professor Okano on Monday in each week, emotionally the seminar occupies large part of my mind. Hence, the seminar becomes pleasant place, depending on how we think about it, and I think I do so.

Question: What is exciting concerning the seminar?

Wada: Basically, in Okano-seminar, students read textbooks which we decide to read. Then, the junior students present questions on the textbooks and all members, including junior, senior students, graduate students, and Professor seek out solutions. The seminar is the space where we discuss endlessly what we are interested in, and we have prominent findings and excitement.
Moreover, the seminar is the place where we can realize various kinds of things if we say, “I want to do !”. For example, I feel that when someone presents an idea, the plan is more rapidly proceeded than expected.

和田聡さん
Name: Satoru Wada
High school: Toyoshima-Gakuin (Tokyo)
Department: Economics
Grade: Junior
Position: The leader of Okano-seminar, Vice-captain of Softball Club in Hokkaido University

Question: What did you learn from the seminar?

Wada: Before joining the seminar, my life was exclusively occupied by lectures and club activities. Club members share the same goal such as “win games” and “make prominent achievements”. However, members of seminar have different goals and interests. Thus, I leaned the importance of presenting my intention, and at the same time, we learned the importance of respecting other students’ intentions.

Question: What you tell students who are going to join a seminar.

Wada: It is important for you not only to select the academic area which you are interested in but also to consider whether the circumstances of the seminar are comfortable for you or not and whether you really want to share your two years with members of the seminar or not. For knowing them, to actually visit seminars is the best way. (Seeing is Believing!) I recommend that you should visit seminars as well as briefing sessions.