The dormitory I live in has been put up for auction.

The dormitory I’m living in has gone up for auction.

Since July, I’ve been staying in a dormitory near the Hanam Knowledge Industry Center. With a monthly rent of 500,000 KRW and a deposit of 5,000,000 KRW for a studio-type dormitory, I thought it was a reasonable price. In fact, it was about 50,000 KRW cheaper than other dormitories, which made me a bit suspicious. However, the person who was originally supposed to move in had to vacate the room urgently, and since I had to start work on July 15th, I had no other choice but to choose this dormitory.

Then, on the 11th, after finishing the Junction Hackathon and returning to the dormitory, I received an auction notice. It stated that the property I was occupying had been put up for auction, and that a bailiff had tried to visit but couldn’t meet me, so they left the notice. As soon as I received it, I contacted the real estate agent to explain the situation, and the agent advised me not to pay the rent or maintenance fees for the time being.

Living life brings all sorts of unexpected events. Fortunately, my parents told me not to worry, and I’ve been focusing on my work at the company, not letting this issue bother me. So, I’m considering it quite an interesting experience. First of all, my parents said they would help, and even if the dormitory goes to auction and I can’t use it, I can commute from my grandmother’s house. Even if that doesn’t work out, I find comfort in the thought that I’m only 20 years old.

The phrase “as you live” seems absurd even to me, a mere 20-year-old writing this. Especially in the past few months, the events that have happened to me have been a bundle of unexpected variables. Each one was a challenge, and I expect similar or even tougher challenges in the future.

And I had somewhat anticipated these difficulties before moving in.

There is just one book in the dormitory. It’s the book I brought to help me endure. It’s “Meditations” by Emperor Marcus Aurelius. I pondered over which book to bring from those I had read. Since I decided to bring only one book to the dormitory, I chose “Meditations” after much deliberation between Descartes’ “Discourse on Method,” Camus’ “The Rebel,” and Feynman’s “Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman! 1,2.”

The book, written by a figure who endured a more difficult time than mine and is still revered as a wise ruler, provided great help when I first encountered it. I thought that the problems I faced were nothing compared to those he experienced. While accepting the philosophical reflections written in the book, I am learning to cultivate inner strength, just as he did.

Although I am currently receiving help from my parents, I am confident that after serving in the military and as the years go by, I will become someone who solves such problems on my own. It’s only been a month since I learned how to do the dishes, cook, and do laundry, but as I’ve become quite accustomed to doing the dishes, I can learn everything one step at a time.

Thank you, Mom and Dad.