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MCL Top 5 Worst Parts of the Fall Semester

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These last few months have not always been easy. As we approach the last challenge of our first semester at Vanderbilt – finals week – let’s take a moment to remember all the things that made the transition to college life a bit more difficult. So here are the Top 5 Worst Parts of the Fall Semester: may we leave them in the past where they belong.

5. Campus Dining

You knew this was going to make the list. We were told Vanderbilt had some of the best dinging in the country, but our experience during the first semester did not live up to the hype. Between long lines and limited options, this is a part of my experience I would rather move on from.

4. The T-Shirt Line

I am going all the way back to our first weekend here for this one but, I think it is still worth noting. Waiting in line in the hot, humid air for over an hour on a weekend when we were all extremely busy was not the best use of time. The worst part was that after standing there for that long period of time, all we did was pull some ink across a shirt and watch it dry. Yes, we stood in the heat for hours just so we could literally watch paint dry. It is no wonder why this activity made it on this list.

3. The Squirrels

I do not care how cute you think the squirrels are, they are little monsters. At first I thought they were adorable and harmless, but I was wrong. They are aggressive and vicious and arrogant. Just the other day, one of them looked me dead in the eyes and started yelling at me from inside a recycling bin. They have no fear, and I am confident they are plotting something terrible.

2. Laundry Wars

No matter what side of this conflict you were on, you suffered. Whether someone removed your laundry from the dryer while it was still wet, or you had to wait a half hour to put your clothes in the wash because someone else had not taken them out yet, we all paid the price for a limited number of washers and dryers. Even those of us who washed our clothes at non-peak times still dealt with the weekly passive-aggressive laundry-related messages in the house group chats that defined Sunday afternoons. None of us came out clean on the other side of this one.

1. Allergies

Many of us grew up in a very different climate than that of Tennessee. Combine that with Nashville’s constant oscillation between 40 and 70 degree days and you have a perfect storm for a lot of bad allergies. Many of us spent much of the semester feeling under the weather which detracted from our school and social lives. If feeling a little bit sick is not enough, thanks to COVID there was always an extra moment of panic every time you sneezed with the thought crossing your mind: “Will I be locked in quarantine for two weeks?” It is sad enough when someone gets sick; they should not have to worry about their academic and social lives too.

So here’s to a healthier semester, a semester with more choices and less lines in our dining halls, and a semester without aggressive laundry messages and even more aggressive rodents. So let us celebrate the end of the Fall Semester and the beginning of something better. I look forward to seeing y’all in the new year.

MCL Top 5: Tips for Winning this Semester

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The end of the semester is fast approaching. Buckle up! Do not crash and burn because of procrastination and lack of planning. No, you made it too far to throw the white flag. What you need is a short, comprehensive guide to aid you to the finish line. These few tips will keep your eyes on the road to victory here at Vanderbilt and even help you develop a strategy for finishing the semester as a champion.

1. Prioritize Self-Care

With finals already among us, it can be easy to overwhelm ourselves with hours of studying and reading over notes. While a social detox is an easy quick-fix, make sure you take care of yourself too. Maybe it has been a few weeks since you hit the gym; you can start good habits today. Or you miss being part of the community; treat yourself to a sports game with friends or investigate what organizations are doing for the final days of the semester. Also, don’t shy away from eating all day. We all need food, and a sufficient amount of it, to fuel our bodies throughout the day.

2. Talk to Your Professors

If you have not yet scheduled office hours with your instructor or barely made small talk all this time, now is your final chance to connect with them. Taking their course means having access to them, and connections will help guide your career path and secure a job when you graduate. Especially if you are unsatisfied with your course grade, you will be surprised how helpful and understanding instructors can be. Even better, professors are (likely) not going anywhere! Do not miss this great opportunity!

3. Time Crunch like a Champ

Maybe you have a Google calendar with some of your to-dos already, or you’ve managed to get by all semester without reminding yourself what there is to do. Despite where you fit, you should consider maximizing your use of time. Doing this does not entail stressing yourself out with all-nighters. Maximizing time means completing work, maintaining good habits, and having fun! Along with improving self-care, good time management profoundly reduces stress and enables you to live life prepared for what’s to come. (And if your time management is above and beyond, you might even decide to sacrifice some study time for social hour and will still be fine!) 

4. Study Smart

Some people can study for hours straight with superb productivity. But for most people, this way of studying does not work very well. (Keep in mind that our attention span is in the seconds too!) Research has proven that studying in increments is the most successful strategy. This way of studying does not mean you can work on calculus for one minute then scroll through Instagram for five. You will still need to commit a considerable amount of time to navigate through your work pile. A plus to this method (called Pomodoro, by the way) is that you can alternate subjects to reduce stress. Ideally, you can focus on an intensive course for an hour and then switch to something less demanding for thirty minutes. From personal experience, I almost enjoy studying now because of how manageable it is!

5. Experience Vanderbilt (Literally!)

It’s easy to forget the profusion of resources available to us commodores. Need help in STEM? Tutoring spots are waiting for you. Want to plan your professional portfolio for your dream career? The career center will happily guide you to the necessary steps. Above all, the students sitting next to you in class, and the ones roaming the halls, have a galore of student organizations and action groups to match your interests and keep you well-socialized. And if you haven’t snapped a LinkedIn-ready headshot with our splendid campus as the background, the time to act is now! All that said, do not blind yourself to what Vanderbilt can offer you.

Conclusion

These five tips will not magically do wonders, but they can lead to success, winning in both academia and life. Furthermore, nothing works unless you do. Even if you do not faithfully follow these suggestions, commit to doing things that will aid your future self. Good luck with the finals, and enjoy the break!

TOP 5 Things To Do Before Your CHEM Exam Tomorrow!

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So tomorrow is the CHEM 1601 Exam.

The final “test” of the semester before the final. 

It’s hard to feel ready for these exams – so instead of asking if you’re ready, I want to ask, “Are you okay?” 

It’s okay if you’re not. (shoot! me too! – I’m writing this article for y’all but this is self-help for me as well :3) 

No matter how you feel, I’m glad you’re here reading this article – because I want to help you. I did extensive research on Google Scholar to write this article. I’ve got tips, some of my own notes, and I’ve got some caring advice. 

I’ll keep it short because I know you (and I) need to get back to studying, but by the end of this article, you should have a plan to feel more prepared and confident about this exam.

1. Positively Affirm Yourself

You’re reading this article, I can tell you care about your work and are trying your best. Even if you know you are nowhere near prepared to take this exam, you can say a couple of positive words even if they’re not true yet. Even feigned confidence is confidence, and studies show that confidence alone can improve your test scores (This article, this one, and even this one too)

Here are some of my affirmations that I’ll be saying today and tomorrow. (One of the articles I linked suggests adding hand and body motions to really make it stick)

  • C’s get degrees! (And B’s, C’s, D’s, and even a couple F’s)
  • I’m manifesting a passing grade (get creative, conjure that grade like witchcraft, evoke a 70+)
  • chemistry is fun! totally like solving a puzzle! yay women in STEM!
  • It’s 2025 and I’m sitting in a lawn chair graduating with my *insert major* degree.
  • Oh Yes. I certainly, unquestionably, and undeniably Can. (feel free to add more adjectives or expressive curses to make it more real for you)
  • I can and I will do this. I am capable. I am channeling nervous energy as a positive force
  • Literally, just smile – stare at the screen and smile, I read somewhere that just the act of smiling can improve your mood. (Bonus points if you pretend to laugh at the article right now)

2. Study Smart (TAKE. THE. PRACTICE. EXAM. NOW) 

I’ll say it now and I’ll say it again for the people in the back. Don’t cram, just don’t do it. I am not telling you to stop studying, but please, be smart about it. Here are some ACTUAL tips on how to study.

  • Set up your active recall: You should NOT just read your notes. The textbook is nice but JUST reading it is not okay. You need to be able to conjure the facts quickly so here are 5 methods:
    1. Make Notecards
    2. Chew flavored gum while you use your notecards or study. Chew the same flavor again during the test.
    3. The practice test is a good cue to show how well you recall. Don’t wait to take it until you feel confident, take it now and know EXACTLY what you need to work on, instead of what you think you need to work on.
    4. If you learn something new, set it up to make it stick. Make a mnemonic device, sing a song, or write it 3 times. 
    5. Do the last Chem101 without Googling the Answers
  • Know what you need to study
    • Make a sheet for all the equations you need to know and the things to memorize. (I’ll attach my equation sheet, but you should make your own.)
    • (7 Common Strong Acids, Common Strong Bases, Solubility Rules, OXIDATION RULES, Gas Evolutions, Various Thermochemistry Equations.) PLEASE!
Example of what my equations sheet looks like.

 3. Treat Yo-self

If you cram so hard that you are miserable the day of the test – something is up. You shouldn’t hate your life to feel prepared. Take exactly 1 hour. (Yeah, don’t just collapse into Netflix for hours, that might not make you feel better) for the time you will set aside to do something that makes you happy.

Here are 6 examples:

  1. Go to a loud common room. Rant to others who are also in chem. Theraputic.
  2. Get a Cookie with your Chem Buddies and Savor every bite.
  3. Watch 1 episode of your favorite show, or your comfort show (avoid cliffhangers)
  4. Sit down and curl up with a cup of tea and MyCommons.Life Articles (or a book i guess, when’s the last time you read a book for fun?)
  5. Speedrun the Wednesday Night Commons Signature Events (West Fest, Sutherland Socials, Snorthgasborg, StamSweets, Hankerings, Murray Munchies, and Crawford’s thing are all Wednesday Night)
  6. Call your parents, your siblings, or your friends from back home (make sure they know you have a time limit!)
Crumbl Cookies, the nation's fastest-growing gourmet cookie
Crumbl Cookies Logo – They have cool flavors like carrot cake, apple pie, and smores this week

 4. Attend to Your Basic Needs – Don’t Put So Much Pressure on Yourself

I’m gonna keep this one short, but I knew I had to say it. I know you’ve heard it before. Sleeping and eating well will lead to better exam results. Your time is much better spent sleeping to improve your whole mood than memorizing 1 tiny fact worth 1 point. You need food to function, please make it healthy.

While bananas are good for you, just eating one isn’t all of your health – mental health matters too. Ease up the pressure on yourself kid. (Pexels Free Image – Aleksandar Pasaric)

5. Make a Plan

This was my Tuesday Plan! Everybody’s plans look different, you don’t even need times.

Finally, don’t just read this article. Guarantee you will put it into action. Go into your NOTES app right now, and make a detailed to-do list. When I’m feeling particularly lost, I like to even add time to my to-do list. You have 24 hours in a day, ask, “How long will memorization take me (2 hours?)”, “How can I fit it in around my sleep (7 hours?)” Set timers to make sure you do it in the time you set out, don’t waste these precious minutes! Run through the course of your day in your head or physically and set yourself up to do them. Put out your clothes now, decide your Suzie’s order,  Pick your route to class, and how early you will arrive. Here’s an example of what my Tuesday looked like if you want a template!

That’s all the advice I have for now! You got this (Just Saying, I’d go up and re-read the study smarter section if I were you though)! I wish you the best of luck, and remember, even if it doesn’t go well – chem class is canceled on Friday and we have Thanksgiving break. Bye Now!

Commons Conversations-Episode 2

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Listen in as Stephan and Maria discuss the topic of “Halloween at College”. What do college students do, what parties do students attend, how do they dress? Real talk about social life during COVID and some costume ideas they’ve heard about.

Top 5 Things I Learned in My First Month at Vanderbilt

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  1. Sleep is important

Like most high school students who piled up on APs and extracurricular activities, I found myself altering my circadian rhythm to make three-to-four hours of sleep enough for my seven-hour school days. I had predicted that college would be no different, in that my body would continue to thrive past 2 A.M. on weekdays.

I was wrong.

The amount of walking and socializing, combined with doing day-to-day chores, studying, finishing homework, and–oftentimes–reteaching yourself, takes a lot out of you. Getting those full eight hours of sleep allows you to be proactive during the day, so you’re able to stay focused!

  1. Saying no is okay

You’re going to want to do everything–have dinner with friends, go to a football game, have a movie night, attend a club meeting, or even take a walk around campus. FOMO is very real, especially in the beginning, when it feels as though you’re going to miss something that may be fundamental to your college experience. I’ve learned that it’s okay to be a side character in some stories–to study for a chem exam instead of going out to Broadway on a Saturday night. It’s okay to miss hanging out if you need a moment to chill. 

I think–for me–it feels as though we’ve overly-romanticized the idea that we should live every day like our last. Perhaps every person is different, but I think that staying in bed all day is okay sometimes. As long as you’re taking care of yourself.

  1. Homesickness is real

For the past five years, I lived in the middle of nowhere in southern Georgia. Our city’s main attraction was the big Walmart down the street from my house and the always-full Chick-fil-A. We only had one high school, and here, the minority population could be counted with my fingers. The community is kind, but I always looked forward to finally moving away for college. 

I don’t miss living there, but I do miss the people. I miss my family and the friends I’ve known for years. I miss the familiarity and my parents’ cooking. I miss having a rice cooker that made perfectly-cooked rice. The rice at the dining halls only reminds me more. 

  1. Every day is a workout 

Living in the middle of nowhere meant that having a car is not optional. This is to say that I was not prepared for the eighteen-thousand steps a day. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, I was unable to take a tour of Vandy; I chose to attend because of the academics, community, and opportunities. Little did I know that I would also be given the “opportunity” to exercise every day. Vandy is filled with slight hills and steep stairs, but honestly, I’m not one to complain. I always told myself I would be more active in college, and walking to class gives me a good start to my day. Again, every person is different, but the sudden growth of steps on my health app has really given me the determination to beat my previous week’s step count. 

A downside: I probably need to buy more comfortable sneakers. 

  1. Rain gear is necessary

The weather in Nashville is so bipolar. One day it rains, the next day, the sun is beating down your body until you feel heavy with sweat. If this past month (and honestly, week) has taught me anything, it is that it is so important to invest in good rain gear, particularly a rain jacket, rain boots, and a good-quality umbrella. This is particularly crucial because of the distance between Commons and Main Campus. It really is brutal out here. 

MCL Top 5: Ways YOU Can Affect Change in Campus Dining

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If you were to ask me what my largest qualm with Vanderbilt Campus Dining was, I would not say the lines or the constant closures or even the lack of choices. While I believe all of these are areas the administration needs to address, there is something I am even more disappointed to have witnessed:

Vanderbilt Campus Dining made us – the student body – feel ignored.

We can feel demoralized when the booming calls to improve our dining experience seemingly continue to go unheard. In spite of this feeling, we do have power. Still, it can be difficult and nerve racking to take a stand, so listed below are the MCL Top 5 Tips on how you can bring about change in Vanderbilt Campus Dining.

1. Identify Where Your Message is Going

Knowing whom you want to receive your message is vital to success. In most cases, you typically want you message to reach those who have the ability to make changes. It can be easy to see Campus Dining as a singular entity, but it is a organization of people with all different types of jobs. The dining staff we interact with every day is a very different group than those who are actually making the decisions. Complaining to those who are subject to Vanderbilt Campus Dining’s administrative decisions, like students and much of the dining staff, will have little effect. You have to direct your message to the administration itself.

2. Know What You Want

This seems like such a simple idea, but many of us forget to consider the end goal. Almost all of us want Vanderbilt’s dining experience to be better, but “making something better” is not a substantive policy change. Do you want shorter lines? More choices? Longer hours? Whatever it is that you want changed, be clear about it. If you are worried about a number of issues, state each one explicitly. Furthermore, offer suggestions when possible. Even if a solution to one of the dining problems seems obvious to you, tell them anyways. There is always a chance they have yet to think of that fix.

3. Assume Campus Dining is Acting Rationally

For my fellow social science majors out there, you have probably heard this one before. Vanderbilt Campus Dining is not operating with evil intent; they simply have an approach moving forward that many of us find detrimental. Always remember that there is a reason they are making these changes. We may think it is a poor reason, but it is a reason nonetheless. If you cannot figure out the rationale (or even if you believe you have figured it out), the best way to begin a conversation with them is to ask “why”. I know it may seem a little odd, but in most cases you get one of two types of responses:

  1. You get a reasonable response that makes sense. If what they say is reasonable, feel free to ask follow up questions and offer suggestions, but I would avoid being overly combative. It is also okay to let an issue go and move on to something else. Some fight are not worth having, and there are plenty of other issues that need addressing.
  2. You get a poorly developed response. This is the time explain you position. If you notice a flaw in their response, cordially bring it to light. In most scenarios, I would pose it in the form of another question, but it is up to your judgement call. However you choose to respond, proceed respectfully.

4. Acknowledge When They do Something Good

Not everything Campus Dining has done in the past few months has been bad. We can sometimes get into a mindset of constant combat and rebuttal, but sometimes one of the most effective strategies to affect change is through positive reinforcement. It is often easier for an organization to do more of something that they are already doing than to develop a whole new system. A compliment is also more likely to be stand out in the barrage of critiques Campus Dining is receiving.

5. Publicize Your Opinion

This is the key to any successful movement. No matter how upset we are, nothing will change if we fail to share our thoughts. Every email written, every post made, every petition signed brings us a step closer to the version of Campus Dining we want to see. The best part of this strategy is that everyone can participate to their own comfort level. It does not matter if you create a petition or just sign it, every little bit helps.

Final Thoughts

After writing this piece, I hope not to leave anyone with the wrong impression. I am proud to be a Vanderbilt student. It is exactly because of this pride I want to see this school become the best it can. Over the summer, Vanderbilt University required the Class of 2025 to read the book When Breath Becomes Air, in which it is stated “You can’t ever reach perfection, but you can believe in an asymptote toward which you are ceaselessly striving.” Although I have not been on campus for a full month yet, it is clear Vanderbilt is pushing us to hold ourselves to this standard. We should ask the same of them.

The Newest Additions to the Taste of Nashville

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Let’s face it: as good as Rand bowls are, we’re going to need a break from dining hall food at some point throughout college. Thank goodness for Meal Money, which can be used to purchase food from multiple restaurants around Nashville through the Taste of Nashville Program. This school year, Vanderbilt has added a couple of new additions to the program:

Flatiron

1929 Broadway

Nashville, TN 37203

If you’re looking for a twist on American cuisine, this is the place to go! Their best-selling Nashville Hot Oysters hits a home run for those looking for an alternative to Nashville Hot Chicken. Just outside Vanderbilt’s campus, Flatiron is only a short walk for students to get homey meals with Meal Money. 

Central BBQ

408 11th Ave N

Nashville, TN 37203

What’s Tennessee without barbecue?!? Central BBQ provides quick service for a hearty, filling meal with home-cooked sides and entrees like pork barbecue and mac and cheese. It’s a further walk from campus, but this Southern-style restaurant will definitely hit the spot after a long day.

Grain & Berry Cafe 

1806 20th Ave S

Nashville, TN 37212

Avocado toasts and açai bowls have taken over social media, and they’ve made their way to Nashville! Grain & Berry Cafe is perfect for anyone hungry for something simple, refreshing, and healthier than your average fast-food restaurant. Locals recommend the “Relax, Eat, Repeat” Superfood Bowl to cool off during humid days in Nashville.

My Commons Watch: The Snyder Cut

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Three years after the disappointing Justice League, a new trailer was released on Valentine’s day titled “Zack Snyder’s Justice League”. If you don’t know already, here’s a quick recap: 

Warner Brother hired Zack Snyder to direct their avengers style superhero crossover film, Justice League in 2014. Production of the film was marked by disputes between Warner Brothers and Snyder in terms of the film’s creative direction. In the midst of what was already a strained relationship between Snyder and the studio, a sudden family tragedy caused Snyder to step away from the project and hire Joss Whedon, who notably directed The Avengers, to take over. Whedon then rewrote and reshot approximately three-quarters of Snyder’s cut and released a Frankensteined Justice League to theaters in 2017. Snyder claims to have never seen this version, which, for his sake, was a great decision. While Snyder processed his personal tragedy with his family, DC fans adamantly demanded a release of the Snyder cut. Snyder encouraged this protest, and was backed up by the cast, who would mention that working under Whedon’s direction wasn’t too great. Warner Brothers finally gave in to the internet’s harassment, and here we are. 

On an unrelated note, I just think it’s funny that promotional material for DC films now seems to focus more on the directors than the actual content of the film. For example, the first teaser “trailer” for Suicide Squad 2 isn’t a preview of the film, but is instead a behind the scenes cut letting people know that James Gunn (director of Guardians of the Galaxy, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2) is directing it. This is just a theory, but I like to think that Warner Brothers knows they’ve failed their audience with their existing films, and now need to tell them, “You know this director? The one who made that other film you like? He’s directing our next movie so it won’t be as bad this time”.  

Until the film is released on HBO Max and people can see it for themselves, it wouldn’t be fair to judge it. But I’m still skeptical about it for three reasons. 

First off, Zack Snyder’s disputes with Warner Brothers stemmed from his desire to show a twisted take on the DC universe. Warner Brothers was looking for a family-friendly franchise that could follow in the footsteps of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Snyder wants to realize a dark, edgy perspective he has on superheroes. Audiences can watch this dispute unfold on screen. When Batman is killing people in cold blood, it’s Zack Snyder. When he dispenses a corny line that falls flat, it’s Warner Brothers. If Snyder has been granted as much creative control as sources report, then perhaps there will at least be some tonal consistency. But even so, Snyder’s dark take is unfaithful to the original comic book material. For the rest of us who haven’t read the comics, it’s just difficult to watch characters in tights try to convey mature, R-rated concepts.

Secondly, I just don’t think Zack Snyder is a good director. People often refer to 300 as proof that Snyder can make a good movie. 300 is a technically and stylistically sensational film. But if you look past the gore and slow motion, the story just doesn’t hold up in my opinion. I think it’s popularity stemmed from its shock value, and it just left a good impression in people’s minds. It’s pretty obvious that Snyder employed the same techniques in his subsequent films. Man of Steel and Batman v. Superman have that kind of Snyder action, as well as the weak stories to go along with it. And at face value, it makes no sense why Warner Brothers would want to keep hiring Snyder when all his DC films have ranged from mediocre to terrible. The only reason I can think of is that despite their poor quality, the nostalgia and overseas market is enough to make these films profitable for the studio. On paper, Snyder’s movies have consistent earnings. Once you pay for the movie, no matter how bad it is, you’ve already given Warner Brothers one more reason to hire Zack Snyder again. 

Finally, there’s the matter of the superhero formula. DC movies seem to like making trailers that basically reveal the entire plot of the movie. The “Zack Snyder’s Justice League” video seems like it fits in that category. I could of course be wrong, but from what I can glean from the trailer, powerful villains are looking for magical objects that will let them conquer the universe, so the heroes have to band together and defeat the villains in a climactic battle towards the end of the movie. You might be thinking, “Well aren’t all superhero movies like that?”. And yes, that’s true. It’s a formula that Marvel took years to break away from. But unfortunately for DC, Marvel came first. So unless this film manages to introduce creative nuances or novel concepts, it will be a movie we’ve all seen before. And based on Snyder’s track record, it seems like this is very likely. 

My Commons Watch: Extracurricular

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Before anything else, let me just be clear. This feature isn’t just for Koreans.

Korean digital entertainment has made incredible strides in just a couple decades. K-pop is the most obvious one, reaching billions of fans worldwide, and earning billions as well. Then there is Korean cinema, which is, in my opinion, some of the most underrated content in the world. I’ve been an avid consumer of Korean movies for a while now and can’t help but notice its superiority in a lot of aspects (story, characters, cinematography, etc.) compared to Hollywood blockbusters. Not only that, but it is often done with a fraction of the budget.

The good news is, Korean cinema is getting noticed more and more. Oldboy, The Host, and Memories of Murder are just a few classics that let Korea first break into the global scene. Back when I was a middle schooler, I began to notice more and more Korean movies coming to American theaters, and it’s how I was able to enjoy titles like New World, A Taxi Driver, and Along With the Gods. And last year, Parasite became a global must-watch that made history at the Oscars, winning four academy awards. These movies show that Korean movies don’t just have to be for Koreans, and that good movies can transcend language barriers. I highly recommend you see these titles for yourselves.

But what about Korean TV? In my opinion, it’s an entirely different industry. Most of the market is saturated with romance soap operas, called K-dramas, aimed at middle aged women. As a result, they suffer from a host of problems, like crummy acting and lazy writing. This isn’t necessarily an issue, however. If the content is entertaining for its demographic, and the show serves its monetary purpose, then there is no reason for its producers to try any harder. But now, we’re beginning to see these shows coming onto streaming platforms like Netflix, and reaching a wider audience of all ages. We’re seeing these shows adopt more modern premises and casting actors that are popular among younger audiences. If you haven’t already noticed, they take up a significant portion of everyone’s Netflix browsing page these days.

Personally, I cannot stomach most of these shows. Some of you might recognize titles like Crash Landing on You and Itaewon Class. Don’t let me spoil these shows for you if you enjoy them, but they are objectively lacking in a lot of ways. After sifting through these shows, I finally stumbled upon one that truly engaged me, and stands far from the rest: Extracurricular. Let’s talk about what Extracurricular does well, and what typical K-drama problems it avoids.

When you first start a K-drama, it’ll probably be great. I reluctantly watched Itaewon Class by a friend’s recommendation. the first two episodes were great and genuinely moving for me. Then, things started to slow down a bit in the third, and I began to worry if I was being led into the same trap that I had fallen into many times before. Sure enough, the story came to an agonizing crawl by the eighth episode. In the ninth, there is a scene where a child gets lost chasing a cat and the main characters look for her and find her in a playground. That’s it. It didn’t change the characters in anyway or have any impact whatsoever on the overall story. That’s when I decided I couldn’t take it anymore.

This illustrates a fundamental issue with K-dramas. They exist for monetary gain and do the absolute bare minimum for it. The writer’s hook you with the initial episodes, then stop trying in the middle, then try again on the final episodes to leave you with a good impression. These middle episodes are riddled with scenes that exist just to waste your time, but they are sprinkled with just enough cliff hangers to keep you wondering and hold you over until the end. As far as the producers are concerned, you’ve just watched their entire show and put more cash into their pockets.

Another problem with K-dramas is the lack of subtlety. They are extremely clear about what they want you to be thinking and feeling at any given moment. If it’s supposed to be a funny scene, enter goofy music. If we’re supposed to be sad, enter the violins. It’s pretty much one song for each emotion, and they get played every single time. If the current scene is relevant to a previous one, instead of letting the audience make the connection on their own, there is always a flashback, even if the scene happened minutes ago. Sometimes, characters will even talk out loud about how they’re feeling when they’re all by themselves. Who the hell are you talking to?   

Finally, what I always complain about on this feature: the characters. First off, I can’t get over how they talk. It’s an understood rule with these shows that every single line the actors deliver have dramatic pauses between them. But why does this have to be the case? I get that it’s supposed to make them sound cooler, but nobody talks like that. Not only can I not relate to these characters as a result, but “dramatic” moments are ruined because of how hilariously stupid it sounds. Characters are also simplistic. Each one has pretty much one trait, then every scene featuring them is devoted to shoving that trait in our faces, as if we’ll forget it if they stop. The bully won’t stop going out of his way to show people how much of a bully he is. The character who wants revenge won’t shut up about how much he wants it.   

“Itaewon Class” is an absolute mess

To be honest, I could go on forever about all the things these shows do wrong. The important takeaway is that Extracurricular avoids all these problems. It follows a high school student’s life in the harshly competitive and stressful 21st century Korean society, and his illegal side hustle that lands him in trouble. Characters are unpredictably deep and change over time. The show conveys deep themes using clever symbolism and metaphors. And the show’s social commentary on modern Korean society and its students is chillingly dark. It’s also just shot better. You can tell that the producers actually cared about what was occupying the screen.

To me, Extracurricular is the beginning of Korean TV finally following in the footsteps of Korean movies and rising from its status as a niche form of entertainment. As I said before, this show doesn’t have to be just for Koreans. If the past decade of Korean movies has said anything, its that you should give Extracurricular a chance.