“The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.”

- Steve Jobs at Stanford University

What should I do in my early twenties? How can I find what I love to do? Is that surely around me? Such questions are very common worries for students in their twenties. To find answers to these questions, The UOS Times decided to look for a UOS student who had found what he or she loved to do and had challenged to do it. I met one UOS student, Lee Sung-jun (School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, 05’.) who is an inventor of UOSroid. On a hot summer day, the guy with a good-looking and smart appearance showed up in a cafe. What attracted my attention was a lap-top which I thought might be necessary for a programmer to work with. Before the interview, he seemed somewhat tired because of his tight work schedule, but as the interview began, he looked happy for visiting the school again.

Under the mood mixed with a shining sunlight and sweet music in a cafe, he said, “First of all, I am really honored to have this interview for UOS students. I am very happy because of the reality that many UOS students are using the application, UOSroid, made by myself. One and a half year has passed since it was created on September 2010.” After pausing for a moment, he continued to say, “Frankly speaking, the crucial motive I decided to invent the UOSroid was my girlfriend’s wish. she would like to know a meal menu and check out whether she can have a seat or borrow books before she visits the Student Hall and the library.”

He responded with a smile to my question of whether it was worth creating an application during the time that he should focus on studying and finding employment, even though there were not any material rewards to him. “Creating programs is my hobby, a goal and dream. When I was an elementary student in the second grade, I set a goal to get a job related to computers. As my computer broke down, I used a program called Beginner’s All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code (BASIC) for the first time and then it became convenient for me to use just like playing computer games. After that, what my girlfriend said moved my heart enough to do it without hesitation. The application, UOSroid, was born through such a process to realize a dream, so it was not a bothering work at all.”

I did not know anything about application except for using it so I asked how he made the application. He responded a little awkwardly but answered kindly, “Many people use a variety of computer programs but it is very hard to make them. Of course, some programs are complex to create but not every program is. You can actually help many people around you by creating a simple program for them. In my case, I focused on what I decided to invent UOSroid for about 10 days and requested to evaluate the test version of the application by distributing it in the UOS Cafe, Gwangjang. At first, it had only two functions: a meal menu and information about the vacant seats and books at the library. After that, through many users’ comments and feedbacks, I could recognize functions they wanted and added other functions such as a map, notices and a timetable to fulfill their needs. This is a current form of UOSroid.” Currently many UOS students can easily access to a great deal of information thanks to his effort.

Nevertheless, he was not satisfied with the current UOSroid, so he made a blueprint to upgrade it again for many UOS students’ convenience. “Thankfully, many people have loved it constantly and I have a plan to create two additional functions for them. One will connect the application with UOS club and the other one is to add Social Network Service (SNS) called UOS talk.” Hearing his words, I could not help but smiling and thinking ‘I am a lucky guy’ because I become the first person to know the future-form of UOSroid.
Lastly, I requested him to give advice to students who have not found what they love to do yet. As soon as he heard it, he looked a little embarrassed, but said in a passionate voice, “In fact, I feel burdened to advise brilliant UOS students in my way, but I hope my advice could be a little help for many students. You might have studied very hard to enter UOS, but have not yet found out what you love to do and how you can do what you love. I think it is very important to set a goal early until juniors. Even if you could not have found it until your junior years, you do not need to be frustrated. Just keep adventuring all circles and extracurricular activities. I believe you can certainly find what is invaluable to you. That could not be the best for you right now but will become well-matched soon because you are immersed in it.”

Currently, he is working at Samsung SDS with an obvious goal to create a program to help the world. “To invent an interface more familiar with users is my ultimate goal. For example, a function recognizing user’s face, eyes, a voice and motion like that. I will be one of the best programmers in Korea.” With these words, the one hour interview with him was over. Even though it was such a short time, I am sure that this interview will be helpful not only for me, but also for other UOS students.

At the present time, many university students are longing for success. However, they do not have any ideas about what they should do and forget about success they want. They just waste their time. They have been obsessed with competing against other students to enter the university and then felt lost about what to do with the freedom given to them as the university students. They have spent time like most people, studying for good grades and preparing for exams: civil service examination, Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and so on. Of course, I was not an exception here, neither. In this sense, this interview was a great motivation for me. In addition, I hope that this article will inspire you to change your life as well. Lastly, I want to thank Lee Sung-jun for accepting my request for an interview although it was a hot and busy day and I look forward to seeing his bright future.