Student Voices

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE SCOPE?

Since I was a child, I have been interested in nature and its protection. My parents bought me numerous books and BBC/National Geographic documentaries that gave me a great insight into the world that surrounded me and into the ecological problems that were lurking around. Naturally, I got a dream, maybe an absurd one, but a dream. To save the world. When it was time to choose my major, I was lost and confused, trying various faculties and different universities and hoping to find something that would define me. When I discovered Hosei, years after graduating from high school, I was caught by surprise – SCOPE offered classes on everything that I was interested in. I realized that by joining Hosei, not only I would solidify the knowledge I already had and learn more, I would also meet like-minded people that are united by the common goals and ideas. I always question my decisions, even years after I made them. However, I never questioned one thing – joining SCOPE at Hosei University. It was absolutely the right thing to do.

WHAT ARE GOOD THINGS YOU EXPERIENCED AFTER ENTERING SCOPE AT HOSEI UNIVERSITY?

I was warmly welcomed not only by SCOPE members but by the Hosei as a whole. International students would understand how lonely it gets to be far away from your family, and I surely was not an exception from the rule. At times when I was depressed and desperate, thousands of kilometers away from my parents, I knew that I had Hosei that would back me up and be there for me. Whenever I encountered difficulties, ranging from academic to personal issues, Hosei’s professors and staff were ready to help me. I have to point out that all of the professors I have studied with are excellent academics that truly have passion for the subjects that they teach. And lastly, I cannot not mention how beautiful Hosei campuses are. While Ichigaya offers a stunning panorama view of Tokyo’s concrete jungles and mountain Fuji from the top floor of its Boissonade Tower, Tama cooperates with nature by blending its buildings with tall and gorgeous trees.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO AFTER GRADUATION?

I have been thinking quite a lot about my future lately, and I have decided that I will move out of Tokyo to another prefecture in Japan that offers good city-nature balance and start business there. I take a lot of business and ecology related classes at Hosei, so I believe that by the time I graduate, I will have enough knowledge to be a successful and environmentally-friendly entrepreneur. Studying sustainability, I realized that this is a lot more than just protecting nature and reversing climate change. Being sustainable means being in harmony with yourself and the world around you. My initial goal of living in the heart of concrete jungle and working for a large company from 8 to 6 no longer suits my primary interest – being happy and healthy. After all, in order to save the Earth, we have to be healthy ourselves.