The subway in Seoul? A certified cultural experience. It's clean. Fast. On time. Air-conditioned. Cheap. And the train jingle? An instant serotonin boost. If you’re spending even a day in Seoul, chances are you’ll be riding the subway, and loving it. But before you hop on, here are a few things I learned along the way:

Let’s talk about what it’s actually like studying abroad in S. Korea. From the moment you check in to your dorm to the academic culture shock in class, you’ll notice the differences.  I’m not here to tell you to bring a universal adapter or get your visa on time (though… do that too). I’m here to tell you the random stuff about university life that I wish someone had told me before I landed.

First night in Korea.It was quite the drive from Incheon Airport to Seoul, or more specifically, to Anam. Once we arrived at the dorms, we were dropped off and had to lug all our bags uphill in the dark. Looking back, it’s hilarious: ten of us rolling giant suitcases in both hands, heavy backpacks digging into our shoulders, trailing behind one another like lost ducklings trying not to trip on one another. And, none of us really knew where we were going.