Help is all around in Fairfax. Reach out for It!

Help is all around in Fairfax. Reach out for It!

Chulson Lee shares his experience of studying at the Fairfax campus in hopes of inspiring other students. He explains how he prepared and planned for his time at Fairfax as well as how his year went to those who have concerns about making the transition to Fairfax.

From day 1 at Mason Korea to graduation, Chulson continuously visited the Academic Advising Center, which is designed to guide students in finding the right courses throughout their academic years. “Academic advising is key for preparing to study at the Fairfax campus,” he said. In particular, the Academic Advising Center created Chulson’s 4-year academic plan and helped him with his Fairfax courses. Since there are numerous courses to select from at the Fairfax campus, he would have been more confused without the center’s help. Despite his frequent visits to the center, he always felt very welcomed by the faculty and staff. He also mentioned that the Mason Korea community played an important role. In addition to professors who provided thoughtful advice, students who had completed their term at the Fairfax campus turned out to be a great help. Chulson is very grateful for all the faculty and students who helped him successfully complete his year in Fairfax. 

“Of course it was a different country and a foreign place, but the campus life itself was quite similar to how it was at Mason Korea,” he said. It was not difficult to make the transition to the home campus based on the knowledge he gained at Mason Korea. One concern Chulson had was transportation. Different transportation conditions took time to get used to, but he settled just fine.

Seeing the Sights

Chulson listed a few places to visit in Fairfax. First, he pointed out the Recreation and Athletic Complex (RAC) where Mason students can work out. He mentioned that it was a great place to interact with other students and also good for stress relief from studying. As for off-campus sightseeing, he suggested visiting Washington, D.C. Since it is the capital of the United States, there are many symbolic places to visit such as the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument. As a Global Affairs student, there were various international institutions that he found particularly interesting.

More Sights

Even though he was far away from family, thanks to technology, he often talked to his family through social media. His concerns about food were also not a big issue since the Fairfax area is known as ‘Little Korea,’ where Korean restaurants are easily accessible.

“If you have concerns or issues while you're in Fairfax, I really hope you don't hold it in, but open up to someone who can help you," he said at the end. "People will help you as if it's their business." For Chulson, spending a year in Fairfax was a turning point. He lived on his own far away from family, expanded his learning, and was fully emerged in the Mason experience. What makes life at Fairfax successful is a well-designed plan. When he encountered difficulties of any sort, he reached out to people and used the resources available to students. He wants other students to enjoy their lives at the Fairfax campus just like he did.

Proud Graduate

Chulson is now a proud graduate of GMUK. He wants to apply the knowledge and experiences he gained at GMU in the real world. Through the CDC (Career Development Center), which helps students attain internship opportunities and plan out their future career, he was able to secure an internship at A-web, an international organization. As Global Affairs is a broad major that covers many areas, he is looking forward to the various opportunities that lie ahead.