Since December 8, social distance keeping in the Seoul metropolitan area has been upgraded to level 2.5 to break the third wave of COVID-19. Korea reported about 600 new infection cases daily these days. The virus appeared to be spreading rapidly due to sporadic infections. According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), there is a possibility that there will be more than 900 cases daily. As a result of the social distance level, gathering more than 50 people in meetings and events was banned in Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi Province, and multi-use facilities such as karaoke rooms, indoor sports facilities, and private institutes were closed. Most of the general management facilities such as PC Bang (Internet cafe), movie theaters, and arcades are closed after 9 p.m. Coronavirus has a huge impact on us again. Students are no exception.
During the Corona crisis, the 2021 College Scholastic Ability Test postponed by two weeks from November 19 was held nationwide on December 3. College Scholastic Ability Test, also abbreviated as Suneung is an eight-hour marathon of back-to-back exams, which not only determines which university the student can enter but also is a gateway for the future. Most of the students who took the test had a particularly tough day compared to other years’ tests. For their safety, the number of test sites has increased by 198 to 1,383 even though the number of test-takers nationwide has decreased by 10.1% than last year. A separate test room for confirmed patients, self-identifier, and suspected patients was also set up to focus on prevention. Students had to wear their masks and check their body temperature and disinfect their hands before they entered the room. The test room had partitions on each desk. They had to endure a difficult time to follow quarantine rules in a big moment where they had to show their skills.
There were also changes in campus life. The classes, which had been gradually normalized, were turned back into “non-face-to-face” classes. College students lost their chance to enjoy their campus culture entirely. The most problematic thing is the final exam. There have been a series of confirmed coronavirus cases in the university community, raising concerns among students who are about to take the final exam. The final exam for the second semester of the university usually takes place in the second or third week of December. Universities that wanted to replace midterm tests with assignments or online exams and conduct final exams with face-to-face tests had no choice but to revise their plans quickly. Most universities changed their policy and presented online exams as a principle. Students seem to be relieved that the change in test methods has allowed them to secure safety. There is indeed a possibility of cheating on online tests. They chose to believe and to leave to the conscience of the students. However, some universities are still conducting face-to-face tests for the discrimination and fairness of tests. Students are protesting against the university for not considering the safety of their students. It is necessary to find a solution that has both safety and fairness.
Coronavirus is causing inconvenience to all of us. We all have no choice but to try much harder. For everyone’s sake, including my precious people and myself, we should avoid places where many people gather, cancel all meetings and appointments, and thoroughly observe disinfection, including wearing masks, washing hands, and periodic ventilation.
Nahyun Lee
Asia Journal
K-UNIV Report
