Same class for 3 years

What do you think about GIMFL system being with the same friends in the same class for 3 years?

When new year comes, and new semester starts, students' eyes are filled with expectation and ambition. They will experience a lot of changes. But, what about GIMFL students? Even though it is a new semester, we cannot feel new semester was started because our colleagues are same for 3 years. Some students say if we don't change our colleagues, we cannot have freshness that motivates us and we will be unsociable. But my opinion is different.
First, '1 year' is too short term to know each other and be true friends. So, if we don't change our colleagues for 3 years, we may have few friends but we can make true friends. Second, high school students don't have time to spend on other things which are not studying. But if our environments change a lot, It will take at least 1 or 2 months to adapt new surroundings.
So I think it will be good if other common high schools have same system that lasts colleagues for 3 years.

Good question!

I was wondering that, too. How do most of you feel about that fact. It certainly is a double-edged sword. As 자영 said, on one hand, there isn't much chance to meet a bunch of new people, but on the other hand, the people in your class, you get a chance to know very deeply. I don't have a very close relationship with people from my high school because my high school was so big and classes changed every year. I barely know any of them now. But you guys have a chance to make life-long friends. Opinions?

I support 자영‘s opinion toward the school class system. I believe it affects students a lot, especially in our school, since each classes has their own majors and minors. I think original purpose of '3 year class' system is to bring more interests in certain foreign languages and concentrate on that.
However, there are more than this. Surroundings influence people a lot, and classmates are one of the 'environment' that affects students in school. I believe each students has their own characteristics and abilities. They have kind of jobs or rolls in their classes, or maybe "presence" and "influence". But if surroundings change so frequently, students would have chaos physically and have hard times adjusting to the new world.
But I feel little sad since students with different majors have so little time to meet others. We merely shares things, in addition to that, we stick to same class for 3 years. I hope to have some places to meet and know each other better at GIMFL!

I absolutely agree with Siwon. Being in same class for 3 years seem likely to disrupt social life of students in Gimfl in many ways. Most of all, I’m really sad about it, if we study in same class it prevent us from concentrating on compete. It’s an undeniable fact that Korean student have to compete against their friends and others continuously. Being comfortable their surroundings, people naturally cannot have tension between people around them. Therefore, without any changes in our school environment how can we be inspired with competitors that compete with us? And also for us it gives difficulties to get along with students who have different major with us. While studying in Gimfl we are supposed to learn language particularly. It means the classes that we have focus on our major and minor language. But studying in same class for 3 years make it kinda hard things to get along with having different major student. Although there are many benefits like jesse said, I believe that we are so young that have to experience of meeting many kinds of people and surroundings.

Since we don't have a huge number of students here in Gimfl, I believe that it will be useless to mix and change class as other schools usually do. Thanks to the small number of students, most of the students in Gimfl has many friends and hangs out with various kinds of friends, regardless of their class.

When we change classes year by year, I think it will just cause chaos and will make us waste our precious time, trying to get used to new classmates. Plus, due to a small amount of students, the class will end up being formed as half-original and half-new, which will be really weird.

We all have distinguishable majors and minors, and most of the school programs are based on the fact that we all have the same class for 3 years in a row. Therefore, I strongly believe that being in a same class for 3 years is necessary and also efficient.

I like your ideas so far, guys.

We can be bored as there are no changes in classmates and the mood of the class. And also we are losing our chance to get along with many other students. Moreover if there are some troubles with classmates, it will be hard for us to spend 3 years in a same class as we have many projects to do with. However, it's hard for people to know the real personal character in one year. We rarely know each other in the first semester so we usually evaluate people with their first impression. We need to be with them for a long time doing many different activities. Then, after we become friendly and know well each other, the last semester of the year is finished. How sad it is to be seperated just after we are ready to be a best friend. We have to spend a smeseter in the next year to find another friend again. It's just waste of time especially for high school students. What we really need is not many friends but friends who really understand us well. We should spend at least 2 years to find those friends. Therefore, I agree with the Gimfl policy staying same class for 3 years.

I partly agree with this, but mostly I think this system isn't very helpful me. Especially to our class, Class 2, we will work with same classmates plus same homeroom teacher for 2 years, and what I was uncomfortable about was that the atmosphere of the class doesn't change. Since we've been gone through our 1st high school year, I often want some changes in our classroom but every time I get through this idea, I realize that it is really hard to change.
On the other hand, because we already know each other well and will know about each other more and more, I think it's good for me and everyone to make a deep relationship with each other. Therefore, I think there are all benefits and losses about this idea, but the most important factor among these is that how we get along with each other and how we respect each other.

I agree with 자영's opinion, the system that the same class for 3 years is certainly different from ordinary schools. When I was in middle school, there are 6 classes in my grades, that the number of students in our school had less class than other schools. It was not easy to be familiar with friends because it was too short to be a best friend and act sincerely. These days, however, I can feel deep fellowship in our class. Also we are in the dormitory it could be more familiar with classmates because we can see the classmates almost all day long. I think it can make our whole life’s friends. However there is a friend who is not fit for me. If he or she is in my class, I can’t avoid acting with him or her. It can be painful but I should try to understand and get along with him. If I take it well, it can also help to experience the future social life. So I think the system that the same class for 3 years is helpful for Gimfl students.

From elementary school to middle school, we always meet new friends on the first day at the school. It made me motivated of course, but sometimes made me feel bad. Getting one more grade usually means being separated with our friends who used to hang out with for one year or even more. It is available to meet between classes but it’s different. Actually only a year for being in a same classroom can be too short for us. You can find that friends around you (especially best friends) are people you’ve been keeping in touch with at least over a year. I think it’s because only a year isn’t enough to know each other. Those best friends weren’t the best friends at first sight. We get closer and closer when we get along with friends more and more times. Thus I think being in a same classroom for 3 years with same friends is a reasonable system!

GIMFL has a small number of students compared with the other high school in Korea. So, it's no matter that the students are divided into the classes. In other words, there's no boundary between class and class, and because of the samll number, all the students know each other well.
However, the other high school which has a lots of students(about 400 students in each grade) is on the different situation. They have so many students that cannot know each other very well. So, they tend to make friends with the students only in their classroom. It might cause a problem that the students can't experience a lot being socialization.
According to the above comparison, I agree the idea in GIMFL, but it's not suitable for the other high school especially a large school.

Same class for 3 years would be reasonable for GIMFL students, I think. Same with 혜나, I think if we use this system to other schools, it will prevent students from make relationships with various others. However, our GIMFL students are surely small than others, and we can notice and meet each when we talk corridors or even in morning exercise time. We can meet and experience various students, and in addition, we can make deep relationships with same class's friends. It would surely help students who take long time to get along with others, also. If problem occurs, it will give us more chance to make up with. I think spend times not solving problem isn't better than spend long times although it may take lots of times to solve relationship problems. Thus, I believe this system is good for us, GIMFL.

Our Gimfl students include me, being new grader, we don't have kinda expection. Cuz, we have the same class for 3 years. However, I think this some kinda custom has so many good points. First of all, we don't have to adapt to a new environment. As we know each other, we donot need time to be familiar with classmates. That saves our time and makes us comfortable. Then, we can have solidarity. If we think we have this class same for 3 years, we might more closely band together than we do not. Finally, we can know each other well. As we study and play for 3 years, we can know each other better, and we can understand each other more. So, to have same class for 3 years would be so reasonable.

I think it is partly good idea. we can maitain our friendship without a lot of effort. Also we don't have to use our time to make new friend or adaping to the environment change. so we can use our time for our better future, concentraing to study. However it can be boring. we have to see same face for 3 years! Think! we can be fed up with such same environment or friends. Someone may want to make new friends. But this circumstance do not give a chance to make friends easily. In conclusion, All things have pros and cons!

Not like other common high school students, we have to choose our major language and minor language. Because of that, our school students have to be in same class with friends who chose same major and minor subjects for 3 years. I think having same class for 3 years has more good things than bad things.
Like 혜주 said, if we have trouble with some classmates, it would be very painful to be in same class for 3 years. However, in my opinion, we can also have more chances to make up with friends. 1 year in the same class is not long time, we need more time to blow off streams and take courage to apologize.
Also, we don't have to be stressed out in adapting new environment and new friends every year. In Korea, high school period is the most important time in life because high school period is crucial process to enter the university and get a job. So, adapting new environment can be the waste of time to us.
Lastly, we can have strong 'class spirit' that means a sense of belonging among same class's students. Because we have to be in same class with same friends for 3 years, we feel more attachment to each class. As an example, when the school's sports event is held, togetherness among same class's students make third grade, second grade and first grade to become one team. This can not be found in other schools.

Hearing the fact Gimfl students are not supposed not to change their classes. I was greatly surprised and disappointed because I can't meet new companions every new semester so that I can't build more relationships with students in school.

However,as soons as I get along with my classmates, I stongly felt that Gimfl's '3 year class' system is really beneficial for students due to its efficieny of adaptation.

'3 year class' class encourages students to study more efficiently, need not to accommodate new environment. Every new semester, students have to adjust themselves to new surroundings such as teachers, classroom or especially classmates. It takes weeks or even months to do so and it will definitely disturb your psychological or physical state. For example, you will be stressed out for making a new close friend and worrying about it. Sometimes make students don't want to go school-as when you were anelementary school student. However, with '3 year class' system, students don't have to suffer from continuously changing environment and worry about. They can feel comfortable school days with thier familiar classmates in familiar environment. As a result,I strongly agree with the statement that '3 year class' policy of Gimfl is beneficial for students for easiness of accommodation to school life.

I absolutely agree with 자영's opinion that same class for 3 years is the best way for Gimfl. High school students don't have a time to care about relationship, especially Gimfl. We have to concentrate all our energy on studying. Somebody can worry about that we cannot make various friends but we don't have to worry about it. Doing after school class or school events, we can make other class' friends. In case of Gimfl, we can get close to friends in dormitory. I also believe being intimate terms with someone is much better than get along many friends. As time passes, we cannot help growing apart. Then we will hardly keep in touch. Therefore, same class for 3years is good for both our study and life!

I do think that the system which doesn’t blend any classmates is necessary to GIMFL. My belief about this is derived from the efficiency of management. As you know, unlike with other high schools, GIMFL has a major system. Because of this, it is impossible to change classmates and classes. If school tried to blend or change, it would be full of shock and panic. A result system would be confused because different classes have different subjects. When we applied the university, that situation could be a kind of problem. Then some might ask, “What about 1 and 2 classes?” That is a situation of the fairness. Suppose that you are in a 2nd class. When you became 2nd grade, you should change your class and be adapted for new situation. However, someone in 3rd, 4th, and 5th don’t have to. Do you think is it fair?

I as a Gimfl student, think that since we have our own majors and minors, it is quite impossible to mix or change the class in Gimfl. People, however, might expect only class 1 and class 2 mix together, which is a bit unfair. I asked one of our senior about the class system in Gimfl, and he told me he loves the system because by that way he could study in comfortable atmosphere. 'Same class for 3 years system' does affect not only our individual relationship but also our studying atmosphere. However, at this point we should consider the side effect of the system, that is, for a person who feels uncomfortable for his or her class, or for a person who had conflict against one classmate, the system has the possiblilty to make the person stressful. For me, because I like my class and feel comfortable for the atmosphere, the system is suitable. I am sure though some may have different thoughts for their own class and the satisfaction of system differs for the individuals.

I partly agree with 자영!
I think we have to consider the own characteristics of Gimfl.
Gimfl cannot change the 3years-class system because there are major languages like English, Japanese, and Chinese. By not changing the classes, we can learn the languages effectively.
1year may be too short to know the friend each other but it depends on how we try. I think It is very important and valuable experiences that meeting new friends and learning the way that adapting the people relationships. In Gimfl's case, there are few students and just classes considering with other schools, and there are lots of programs interchanging with other classes' students also. But other normal high school is different.
Therefore, I think 3years-class system is very appropriate system for Gimfl, but I don't agree that it is the good way that other high school also take this system.

I absolutely agree with 자영. I also think having same class for 3 years is much better than changing class every year. We, especially high school students of Korea, should only study. I know it's terrible, but as she said, it is inefficient for GIMFL students to spend time making new friends in new semester. There's no need to suffer from embarrassment and having trouble with new firends if we are same class for all school years. Having 3-year-firends can help us to make deeper relaitionship each other. As you know, we're just one big family so we can feel comfortable. By this, we can concentrate on studying better. Plus, many normal high school students of Korea break their studying rhythm every new year because of changing their classmates. They may feel too fresh to concentrate on studying. Some people might say, students need to experience many social communtiy. I also partly agree with them. However, our GIMFL students don't need to do such things. As already said, we're just one big family and we already have social ability since we're with together from early morning to midnight.
In addition, we can make relationship much more than other students through well organized club activity system and good mentroing system. As 승현 said, high school is the most important part of all life, and I'm sure that the system of GIMFL such as being with same friends for 3 years can make a good influence on the most important part of life.

장홍주 1-1
After several tries, due to some difficulties to log in, I borrowed roommate's ID.

One of the biggest differences that I have faced when entered GIMFL was the fact that I should be in the same class with same friends for whole 3 years. It sounded quite odd as my 16 years haven't experienced so-called '3 year one class system'.

However, after time passed by, and being able to realize the importance of true relationship of friends, I started to positively perceive this system, and now I definitely support this system thus agree with 자영.

The biggest benefit by adopting this system is that by receiving the chance to spend 3 years with same friends, we can build up true, meaningful relationship. Of course 1 year isn't a short period to make friends, but it's may be quite short period to truly understand each other. Regardless of own preferences, within 3 years, all classmates will have to work with and get along with each other at least once as being in one class. And by contacting with each other, they'll also have some conflicts and the process of tuning those problems. And all these things are the elements for true relationship and requires time.

In addition to all benefits other students previously pointed out, I believe the point I mentioned can now demonstrate the fact that being in a one class with same friends is beneficial for us.

[quote="최자영 2-3"]
What do you think about GIMFL system being with the same friends in the same class for 3 years?

[quote="최자영 2-3"]
What do you think about GIMFL system being with the same friends in the same class for 3 years?

I think this system is very good. I thought this system is really good to us before coming this school. Firstly I thought it has no variety and if we just continue the same class, it can be boring in the future. But after 1 years later since I came to this school, I realized that it's helpful and good.
We can know each other a lot! Actually, I can know a friend's personality and her mind better who I and she were not that familiar in the past. Now, I'm really happy to know that friend and I think it was possible because of this system.
Sometimes I want to know other class' friends. However, very small students make me know everybody and I fell it is no matter anymore. In conclusion I strongly agree with this system

I think this topic is worthy enough to have fierce debate. I also thought of this issue in general school life. Till now, many students suggested great ideas and I believe I could expand my thinking by reading all of them.
Here's what I'm thinking about this issue. In fact, I think we don't need to change classmates every year.
First, I think chaning classmates can't give that much fresh atmosphere because here in Gimfle, each class has its own major and minor. So, we can't mix whole students in Gimfle. What I mean is that the extent of change is pretty unremarkable.
Second, as some students already mentioned, the number of students in Gimfl is not that much. That means, we can have more contact with each student.
Finally, during the vacation, we do have many contacts with students in other classes as all of you know. We have classes together.
I'm not saying that changing class has no advantages in general. What I really mean is that because of special environment in Gimfl, not changing class has more advantage than changing the class.

Well, like most of the people said above, I also think the system of Gimfl(same class for 3 years) is a great thing. Firstly of all, it sure seems obvious that being in a same class for 3 years makes everyone in my class to get even closer to each other. I think one year is a quite short time to get to know about other people. In that aspect, 3 years will enable students to know about each other better. In other schools, most of them change classes so that students can meet new classmates, but considering that Gimfl has a few students, I do not think this is necessary. What I mean is, because there are not so many students here, we can meet up with other students quite frequently during breaks. Actually, most of us have friends in other classes even if those friends are not one of classmates. Considering all of these things, I totally support Gimfl’s system of not changing classes for 3 years.