A while ago, I made the trip from Tokyo to take the entrance exam for Akita University. As soon as I got off the train at Akita Station, I heard a friendly voice behind me say, “Have some hot tea. It’ll warm you up!” It was a senior student who’d come to meet me at the station. I have now been studying at Akita University for a year and I’m a sophomore. I’ve encountered genuine warmth and friendship in my time here.

When I started at Akita University, the coronavirus pandemic was at its height. I couldn't go to classes, I couldn't get a part-time job – I couldn’t even leave my room. A lot of food was provided by a food aid organization in Akita arranged by the International Affairs Division. In addition, there were always faculty members available if I had any problems I wanted to discuss.This put me at ease and made my university life more comfortable and enjoyable.The university and my friends encouraged me to participate in activities such as soccer with other international students every weekend, forestry and writing articles for a newspaper company. This experience gave me the confidence to set up my own magazine in the summer of 2020.

I wanted to seek out people in the community who were actively contributing and helping others. My aim was to interview them and create a magazine to share their wonderful stories with as wide an audience as possible. I was energized by everyone I met for this project – they work tirelessly to aid and bring joy to elderly citizens in Akita. Having been here for a year, the first thing that comes to mind when I think of Akita University is the phrase “helping each other.” If you’re thinking about studying at Akita, this warmth and spirit of cooperation is an essential part of being a student here. I look forward to meeting you soon!

（Written in 2021）