"An unforgettable experience" ICC Student Staff Graduation Report

Amy Graduate School of International Culture and Communication Studies ICC Student Staff Leader: June 2021 – September 2022

As the time has come to leave, I reflect upon these past two years in Japan, and I can say that it has definitely been an unforgettable experience. I began my journey with the ICC in June 2021, my first time working in Japan. Working at the ICC has made me grow as a person, not only through the challenge of working in a foreign country, but also because of the myriad of skills that I developed during this past year and a half.

How I became an SSL

I read my SSL senpai’s graduation reports before starting mine, and in some ways, I felt that my story with the ICC was less inspiring than theirs. I remember the two events that led me to become an SSL. The first was at a friend’s apartment, and they had recommended me to sign up for ICC News emails. We were new in Tokyo, and it felt like life was starting to return to some sort of post-covid “normal”. I was full of fresh energy, eager to get out, go to events, and meet people. After many months of watching the ICC emails come and go, I saw that they were looking to hire staff. At the time, I was looking to expand my breadth of experiences, and I had never had a job in Japan before, so why not give it a go. I like organising things, socialising, and being active in a community; this could be perfect for me. Thus started my journey at the ICC.

Working at the ICC allowed me to have opportunities that I was missing as a student during the Coronavirus pandemic. I had few reasons to go to campus, and was discouraged from doing so, but working in the office meant I could go to campus. Through working at Waseda, I developed a better relationship with the university and felt more like an real student and member of the Waseda community.

Events

My first semester event didn’t really go as planned, as there were difficulties getting the thoughts from paper to person. However, after my original plans had been buried, I was asked to be involved in organising a collaboration event with the University of Richmond, in the USA. I was so excited to be involved in an event with another university, and more so when I learned that this event would explore the theme of identity, looking at what it means to be Asian in the United States of America and in Japan. While at times I felt challenged by all of the new tasks that I had to undertake, the event went smoothly, and it was an honour to be involved in an event which addressed such a complex topic.

Thankfully, I had more luck in my second semester, when I planned to host an event tackling an important topic in society. I knew that I wanted to create an event which held a lot of meaning. Through meetings with other offices at Waseda, we decided to look at the topic of mental health. Teaming up with Dr. Ishii at the Waseda health center, we were able to organise an event which educated the community about mental health, and how you can help yourself and others who are struggling. I was so happy to not only be able to see an event through from beginning to end, but also to have raised awareness for this important issue was truly a moment I could be proud of.

But it was not just through the events that I was able to learn. The day-to-day life working at the ICC allowed me to exercise different skills. I learned more about working life in Japan, improved my Japanese language skills, but most importantly, I was able to rekindle my relationship with art through working in the PR team. Being a member of the PR team was by far my favourite part of working at the ICC. I was able to design banners, posters, Instagram stories and reels, whiteboard designs (I promise to finish them before I leave), and pamphlets. I was given the freedom to be creative and make something beautiful to decorate our campus with.

So what’s next?

Overall, my time at the ICC has shaped me as a person, and opened up many opportunities for me in the future. I hope that when I graduate, I will be able to use everything that I have learned again in my future. As of right now, my plans are uncertain. I will be returning to Ireland for a while, and I will be moving to the U.S. sometime after. However, no matter where my path takes me, I know that the ICC will always be a part of who I am.

On to the next adventure!

Photos

Playing games at English Chat Club (photo by ICC)

Article about my hometown for Waseda Weekly (image by ICC)

A poster I designed for the ICC Entrance (photo by ICC)

Before the mental health event, with friend and co-worker Tina (photo by ICC)