Hiroaki Okuno, International Student from USA

－What is your major?
I am a student of the GIGA Program. It belongs to the Faculty of Environment and Information Studies.

－Why did you decide to study in Japan or at Keio?
There were a few reasons. One of them was because I wanted to get an education in Japan. I was born in Japan but grew up in the States and had not been educated in the Japanese school system. I wanted to know what it was like to be a student in my home country as a Japanese individual. My second reason (and the main reason) was that Keio SFC is the most advanced university in technology in Japan and since I was interested in computers and programming at the time, it was a perfect fit for me. We soon learned to use the Internet as a tool to express ourselves by making webpages and designing with programming. However, SFC not only offers great technology classes, it provides students with a wide variety of classes and doesn’t limit you to only those at SFC. I soon learned to love its curricula and became interested in human psychology and the mind.

－Please tell us about some of the aspects of your life in Japan or at Keio.
Since coming to Japan, the environment has opened my eyes and I have experienced things I’d not done before whilst living in the US. Commuting to school by train and bus, for example, was a first for me coming to Japan. I was also impressed by the number of students who were active in club activities. I got interested in joining the street dance club as well as the magic club and currently am a member of both.

－What is your favorite class?
Currently my favorite class is Design Language, supervised by Professor Wakita. The class has around 400-500 students and provides a chance for students to listen to talks by many artists, designers, entrepreneurs, and executive officers, and also to ask questions students have about the specific topic at hand. I found it interesting that it was sort of like “TED Talks” but much more accessible and interactive.

－What is your favorite menu item served at the SFC cafeteria?
My favorite menu item served at the cafeteria is definitely the noodles, especially ramen. The noodles serve as a popular lunch for students as they are much cheaper and better quality than those at local ramen restaurants. The cafeteria also changes its menus and tries new recipes so it never gets old for the students.

－What is your plan after you graduate?
My plan after graduating is to either attend graduate school to study more or to go into society and get a job. I’m not quite sure which I want to do, but I’m sure I’ll figure it out over the next 2 years in college before I have finished job-hunting, known as shūkatsu in Japanese. Nevertheless, I would really love to go into a human psychology and technology-related field; I’d like to provide some kind of assistance with psychologically unstable people, maybe by becoming some sort of a psychiatrist.

－Do you have any advice for students who are considering studying at SFC?
SFC is a very open and welcoming campus that enables one to study and engage freely. But students themselves have to be open and ready to explore new depths, adjust to changing environments, and become more willing and proactive to expand their knowledge. I feel that joining many research groups, clubs, and circles, and participating in events as much as possible will give students a life they never knew.

About the writer
Hiroaki Okuno
Second-year Student of SFC GIGA Program,
Faculty of Environment and Information Studies