WE RELY on a lot of items on a daily basis—from a small chocolate bar to a costly electronic device. And sometimes, a single item could bring about a huge innovative change in your life. At the beginning of the new year, the new semester, this may be a perfect time to start fresh, perhaps with a brand-new item that could improve the quality of your life. Hence, we asked six Yonseians: what items have changed your life?

Lee Jeong-bin (Soph., Dept. of Political Science & Int. Studies)

   The item that has turned my life for the better would be my Samsung smartphone. I use it in various ways: taking pictures to keep memories, searching for information, keeping in touch with my friends and family at home and abroad, and most importantly, listening to music—especially my favorite musician, Eminem. Moreover, thanks to my phone, I can always be aware of contemporary issues in international society relevant to my major by browsing news websites like The New York Times with a few convenient touches. It also serves as a handy watch that helps me keep track of time. Though my phone has made me cut down on my sleeping hours and made my eyesight worse, it is a cost I am willing to take, considering the immeasurable benefits this device has brought me.

Park Woo-yong (Jr., Dept. of Econ.)

   A single planner has improved the quality of my life. I suffer from low energy levels whenever I let time go by without doing anything productive. Hence, keeping a planner, thereby organizing my time and defining my every day, has constantly helped me pursue a better, more stable life, which helps me feel a great sense of accomplishment. I started with a single daily planner but now keep a weekly one as well, which allows me to plan out my week ahead of time. I would like to recommend buying a planner for those who want to add meaning to their lives, to set a goal and progress toward it.

Kim Ui-jin (Jr., UIC, Creative Tech. Management)

   My iPad has been one of my best purchases, greatly improving the quality of my life. I decided to buy one, mostly because I did not want to carry around heavy textbooks and tons of printed materials anymore. I was also curious about what it is like to write with an Apple Pencil, which is why I decided to buy an iPad Air 3. It is everything that I expected it to be; the tablet is very convenient to use and makes my bag so much lighter. Whenever I need some materials, all I have to do now is download PDF files from the Internet—which makes the job much easier. Moreover, I can also enjoy reading electronic books with it, renting them from online bookstores like Kyobo with easy access. Not to mention that I can watch Netflix more conveniently now in any cramped space.

Moon Ye-eun (Fresh., Dept. of Human Environ. & Design)

   The item that has improved the quality of my life is a debit card. I was in ninth grade when I first made my own debit card. Since I had just passed the age limit for making one, I headed straight to a bank nearby to experience the fascinating feeling of “being grown up enough to go to the bank by myself.” While initially it was only about that excitement of being an adult, I began to appreciate it even more when I stopped having to crumple bills into my small wallet. For quick errands, I was ready to go just by slipping the card into my pocket. Since many stores nowadays are turning cash-free, it seems to me that the convenience of a debit card is shared by many people.

Park Kyu-won (Soph., Dept. of Econ.)

   Buying a smart watch was definitely life-changing. I bought one because, more than anything, I wanted to use it during my workouts which is a big hobby of mine. I wanted to be aware of the number of calories I was burning every workout session. Since I already use an iPhone, an iPad, and AirPods, I thought that an Apple Watch would be the ideal choice, considering the compatibility between Apple products. It turned out to be the best decision. Thanks to the fitness function provided by Apple Watch, I can measure how much I exercise, share it with my friends, and get even more motivated to work out harder. It also helps me get up more easily in the morning since the watch on my wrist vibrates when the alarm goes off. I would like to recommend smart watches to anyone who loves to work out, even the ones who do water sports because they are waterproof!

Lee Ju-ho (Sr., UIC, International Studies)

   A book titled Next 100 Years by George Friedman changed my life. When I was in middle school, I only had an abstract sense that I was interested in the discipline of international relations. However, as a youngster back then, I had no experience of reading any kind of professional publication. Then my parents gave me the book as a present—my first ever specialty book. Reading it, I could cultivate an even more professional interest in international relations. It also helped me a lot back when I was a freshman, lacking knowledge in the discipline, especially since I am also majoring in International Studies. It specifically helped me write essays for my major courses. Now I do not swallow all the claims of the book without question; however, it still is one of my precious items that awakened my genuine interest in international relations and geopolitics.