On the thirty-minute campus tours that are held throughout the year the spice for the visitors is not just the sightseeing itself – souvenirs that satisfy both practical and aesthetical cravings excite visitors even before the tour begins.
Lee Seon-yong, a staff member at the Office of Information and Communications (OIC), has been in charge of organizing the campus tours and providing souvenirs to visitors of Ewha. “The souvenirs differ depending on the characteristics of the visitors,” Lee said.
For middle and high school students who make up the majority of those visiting Ewha, the OIC has devised new designs for the cell phone ornament given out as souvenirs. “The design of the ornament was the school symbol in pink over a light blue background until last year. But this year, we wanted to make the design more attractive and have worked hard to come up with a new style,” said Lee Mi-jin, who is in charge of the event team as part of the Ewha Campus Leaders.
The two latest designs come with logos: “I love Ewha” and “Fly high in Ewha.” In a size that just fits into the display screen of most cellular phones, the motto, “Fly high in Ewha” is written in an emerald green.
“It is cute and pretty. I will definitely hang this on my cell phone. I want to come to Ewha now that I have received the tour and these souvenirs. Ewha seems to be a good school for students,” said Woo Do-yang, a second year student attending Daedeok Girl’s High School who recently came for a tour during her summer vacation, on August 13.
Though most Korean teenagers are fond of these cell phone ornaments and hang them on to their cell phones, not all foreign visitors seem to feel the same way.
“Since some foreigners do not actually attach the ornaments to their cell phone, we decided to provide them with pens with post-its inside, or with folders,” said Lee Seon-yong, a staff member at the OIC.
Lee said that Ewha usually gives away older versions of the cell phone ornaments to people who live nearby, who frequently come to the campus to take a quick look around. “They are usually adults and they do not care as much about posh designs as the younger students,” said Lee.
The OIC has also prepared souvenirs for visitors that have disabilities. “For visitors who are unable to see, we have made cell phone ornaments with designs that protrude upward,” said Lee.
The souvenirs are devised once a year in order to greet visitors with a different design every year. “Next summer, we are planning to give out fans as souvenirs to beat the heat during the campus tours,” the staff said. The OIC also plans on giving out cell phone ornaments next year since they are receiving positive reactions from students.