3N. Between Codes and Connections: A Plan Beyond the Classroom

The afternoon had barely begun, but the clock seemed to be ticking fast. Nae-Yoon was once again reviewing his presentation for the virtual class that the professor had arranged. It was a technical and rather dense subject, but he didn't want to leave anything to chance. In the meantime, he divided his time between other university work he had pending, with his eyes jumping from one window to another on his laptop. The virtual class was scheduled for six, and Nae-Yoon felt the pressure to do well, since the professor, although professional and objective, was known for being very demanding. For some classmates, his way of asking complicated questions or looking for unexpected explanations was a source of stress.

As the time approached, Nae-Yoon allowed himself a moment to clear his mind. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. He felt a knot in his stomach, but also a sense of satisfaction knowing that he had worked hard on his presentation. The sun had already begun to set, and the sky, tinted in pink and orange hues, seemed like a perfect backdrop as he connected to the video call.

The clock struck six o'clock when the video conference opened. Classmates began to join the virtual room one after another, and Nae-Yoon could see their faces illuminated by the light of their screens. There was a brief silence, and then the professor appeared, as always punctual and without preamble. His tone, serious but professional, filled the screen as he began the class.

The class began with an introduction to the topic of the day, a series of technical concepts that he had already reviewed, but which the professor presented in an exhaustive manner, as the professor made sure to make each point of his presentation clear. Once this part was over, Nae-Yoon knew that the difficult part would begin: the individual presentations.

After about thirty minutes, the professor interrupted the class and announced:

-Very well, now we will proceed with the presentations. I'll call on each student in order, and after each one presents, I want them to explain two or three specific lines of their code to make sure they fully understand it.

The professor started calling on each student, and she looked at the screen intently, watching the others share their work, explaining the more technical aspects and resolving doubts under the professor's strict gaze. Nae-Yoon felt her heart race. She knew her turn was coming, and she mentally reviewed the key points of her presentation, trying to remember every detail. Finally, she heard her name.

“Nae-Yoon, go ahead. We’re listening.”

Slightly nervous, Nae-Yoon activated her microphone and began to explain her project, presenting her screen and detailing each step as precisely as possible. As she finished the main presentation, the professor chimed in with his usual questions, asking her to explain a few specific lines of her code.

“Can you explain the function of this line?” the professor asked, pointing to a part of the code that Nae-Yoon knew well.

Nae-Yoon nodded, trying to remain calm as she explained. Each word required precision, but as she finished, she noticed a slight nod from the professor, a sign of approval that restored her confidence.

After a few more questions, the teacher gave the go-ahead, and Nae-Yoon let out a sigh of relief as her turn ended. Slowly, the rest of the classmates spoke, and the class ended around eight in the evening.

That night, after the tiring presentation, Nae-Yoon felt relieved but exhausted. Upon arriving home, she relaxed a bit before remembering that she had promised to write to So-Rak. She opened the chat and sent him a message.

Nae-Yoon: Hey, how did the presentation go? That class left me exhausted.

She waited for a while, but received no reply. As the minutes passed, she couldn't help but worry a little. "Maybe he's busy," she told herself, trying to calm herself down. However, she checked her phone from time to time, waiting for the notification of his reply to appear.

The next morning, while she was on her way to university, So-Rak's message finally came.

So-Rak: Sorry for not replying last night! After dinner I stayed up doing some minor chores and ended up falling asleep.

Nae-Yoon: It's okay, it happens to me too! That class was exhausting. What did you think of the presentation? I felt like it was… neutral. A little complicated, but also interesting.

So-Rak: Exactly. It's like we get challenged every time, but this time it was more manageable than I thought. Although there's always that tension of the teacher popping out a surprise question.

So-Rak: You know, I thought he was going to ask me a surprise question. I had the code open in several tabs just in case, because you never know.

Nae-Yoon: That's what I did too! I swear every time I feel like I'm in a surprise test when he starts asking questions.

They both laughed and continued to exchange messages, sharing anecdotes about the stress of classes and the teacher's unpredictable style. Little by little, the tone of the conversation became lighter and more comfortable, something Nae-Yoon appreciated a lot after the tension of the week.

A few minutes later, So-Rak sent him another message:

So-Rak: Hey, I was thinking… how about we go for a walk? We could go to the mall, relax a little from all the academic stress.

Nae-Yoon stared at the screen, a little surprised and excited by the invitation. Going out with So-Rak outside of the context of college seemed like a great idea, so she responded enthusiastically.

Nae-Yoon: Sounds great! I don't have any plans, so count me in.

The conversation continued, both excited by the idea of their trip to the mall. They discussed details, such as the time and place to meet, joking about what they would do there.

So-Rak: So, Wednesday or Thursday afternoon? Do you like the idea of visiting the playground or would you rather walk around and check out the shops?

Nae-Yoon: Both sound good. We could also see if we can find somewhere to grab a drink!

So-Rak: Perfect. Although… I owe you an ice cream if I survive the next class with the teacher.

Nae-Yoon: Deal. So the ice cream is on you if class turns out to be another nightmare.

They both laughed through the messages, enjoying the complicity that had arisen between them. The conversation continued for a few more minutes, and as they said goodbye, Nae-Yoon felt happy and slightly nervous in anticipation of seeing So-Rak outside of college. She knew it would be a relaxing outing, but the idea of spending time with him in another environment was exciting to her.