Nadine Manske
Class of 2023
What inspired you to pursue a major or minor in the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures (ALC)?
When I was in eighth grade, my social studies teacher set us up with penpals from Korea. They were learning English in school, and we sent letters back and forth for them to practice their writing. I thought it was unfair that they were learning to write in English, but we weren't putting in any effort to learn Korean. So, I started teaching myself. Once I got to Northwestern I knew I wanted to pursue the language more seriously.
How did your studies in the ALC department impact you personally or professionally?
My work so far both in my last year of undergrad and afterward has all been in the esports industry. In this industry, speaking Korean is a huge asset that has helped me a lot in connecting with important voices across the world. I've been able to bring the stories of esports teams in the Asia-Pacific region to life. In 2023, I was leading coverage of the VCT Pacific region for Dot Esports while I was living in Seoul for my study abroad quarters.
Is there a specific course, event, or memory associated with the ALC department that sticks out to you from your time at Northwestern?
All of the Korean professors at Northwestern are fantastic. In all of my courses through my undergrad, I never got as frustrated as I got with some aspects of mastering the Korean language. Learning a new language at a high level is a completely new adjustment in your thinking, especially as someone who didn't grow up in a bilingual household. I remember speaking to my professors in office hours and them encouraging me to keep going even if things were tough.
What are you working on right now that excites you the most OR are there any accomplishments you would like to share?
I finished my time at Northwestern with two quarters abroad at Yonsei University in Seoul. I also worked as a freelance journalist covering VALORANT while I was there, and made some lifelong memories that wouldn't have been possible without the education I received while in the ALC department at Northwestern.
What’s a fun fact that you want to share with the Northwestern community?
One of my silliest, yet proudest, Korean language moments came last month when I was scrolling on Reddit. I'm a knitter, so I follow a lot of discussions about various knitting techniques and patterns in these spaces. One user was stuck because they were Google Translating a pattern from Korean to English. They were confused as to why the pattern kept telling them to do different things with their "nose." I was able to help this anonymous internet stranger by explaining that the words "nose" and "stitch," as used in a knitting pattern, are both the same in Korean. I helped them figure out how to read their knitting pattern.
How do you enjoy spending your free time?
As mentioned before, I knit! I stopped buying commercially knitted sweaters in 2022 and now try to make my own.