An Unexpected Event

Hello! My name is Seisho Komai, and I am a third-year student in the Faculty of Human and Social Studies. I am also a member of the Planning Division.

Some of you might be wondering how to read my name, so just in case, here is the pronunciation: “Komai Seisho.”

It has already been three years since I became a university student. I’m not exactly the most ambitious person, but I started job hunting this year. Career agents, the career center, company information sessions, internships… Honestly, it’s giving me a headache.

This time, I would like to share a heartwarming story that happened during my summer job-hunting experience. It might be a little long, but I hope you’ll stay with me until the end!

For five days in mid-August, I participated in an internship in Nihonbashi, Chuo City. Among all the students around my age who were participating, there wasn’t a single person from my university, so I remember feeling pretty nervous on the first day.

On my way home after the first day, I was walking through the plaza in front of Tokyo Station when a bright blue banner suddenly caught my eye.

I stopped to see what was going on and looked into the crowd. There, among the sophisticated streets of Tokyo, I spotted some high school students wearing familiar-looking blazers that seemed almost out of place in the big city. I couldn’t help but say, “No way…”

They were wearing the uniform of my old high school.

I never imagined that I would run into students from my old school in the middle of such a huge city. Feeling both surprised and curious, I walked closer to the crowd. To my surprise, the students smiled brightly and greeted me with a cheerful, “Hello!” even though I was a complete stranger to them.

Then, I heard a familiar voice calling my name. I turned around, and there was my homeroom teacher from my third year of high school!

That was a double surprise. Even my normally narrow eyes opened a little wider that day!

When I talked to my former teacher, I learned that the students had traveled all the way from Ishikawa to Tokyo to promote a crowdfunding campaign.

The students from my old high school had been working together with local farmers to create and promote a special brand of melons from the Noto region. They wanted as many people as possible to learn about these “Noto Brand Melons” and hoped to help revitalize their local community.

Hearing about their passion and determination really warmed my heart.

For me, who was feeling overwhelmed by anxiety about job hunting in Tokyo, this unexpected encounter gave me a little bit of encouragement.

Seeing the students from my old high school come all the way from their hometown, working hard and moving straight toward their own goals, really inspired me. I was also touched by my former teacher, who supported them warmly while taking on this challenge together with them.

Feeling their sincere passion and energy made me think, “Instead of simply letting each day pass by, I need to have my own purpose and keep moving forward, too.” It was a surprisingly serious thought for me, but somehow, it felt like the heaviness in my heart had suddenly disappeared.

I want to cherish the energy I received at Tokyo Station that evening. There may be many difficult moments ahead, both in my job hunting and in my activities with the committee, but I want to keep moving forward on my own path without giving up.

I am also quietly cheering for the brand melons that my younger schoolmates put so much passion into growing. I hope their delicious melons will reach many people and become something that is truly loved by everyone. 🍈