This blog post explores how career goals based on internet technology can connect with academic inquiry, while providing a balanced explanation of the talent profile and required competencies pursued by the Internet major.
Academic Experience and Reflections
“Adjusting the Direction and Balance of My Studies”
What I focused on most while studying was ‘direction’ and ‘balance’.
I was extremely curious, so I tended to focus more on things outside of studying. I enjoyed taking paths others didn’t take and pioneering new fields. As a result, I explored other activities and developed a unique approach to areas like computers, internet surfing, and hacking. However, I struggled to develop a genuine interest in my studies. Naturally, this narrowed my college options. At some point, I realized I couldn’t keep living solely by short-term interests. So I began adjusting my study direction.
First, I set a goal. I knew exactly what I wanted to do: become a webmaster. It wasn’t just about certifications. I believed that nowadays, we need talent who can handle the web ‘properly’. Because an ever-increasing flood of information will pour in, and within that flood, catching the right information and grasping the flow will be absolutely necessary. And I wanted to be the one grasping that flow. So, I set my goal to apply to Konkuk University’s Global Campus. And to raise my grades accordingly, I started studying like never before in my life.
Naturally, it was difficult. But it wasn’t impossible if I balanced my efforts. After taking practice tests, I divided subjects into areas I excelled in and those I didn’t. It seemed I was strong in math but weak in foreign languages and language arts. So, I studied using the ratio Math 1:Foreign Language 3:Language Arts 3.
Through this effort to strike a good balance, I was able to achieve the grades needed to challenge myself for Konkuk University’s Global Campus. What I realized during this time was the importance of having a clear goal, and that while striving towards that goal, it’s crucial to plan your efforts carefully.
Major School Activities and Reflections
“SNS Masters, Assemble!”
The school activity I put the most effort into and enjoyed the most was managing the school’s SNS. Five students per grade were selected for this role, and surprisingly, the competition was extremely fierce. I suspect many students applied specifically to build their portfolios. As expected, the applicants were academically strong, intelligent, and highly skilled in social media. I applied not primarily for the portfolio opportunity, but because I believed this role would allow me to leverage my strengths while also helping others.
Luckily, I was accepted and began attending item meetings to plan articles for the SNS. During these meetings, I learned that managing SNS requires much more careful consideration than I had initially thought. Up until then, my only experience was managing personal social media accounts and occasionally helping friends with theirs to spread the word about their businesses. But managing the school’s social media was different. First, it was a public institution under the education office, so we couldn’t post anything that could cause problems. We had to choose topics that would grab our friends’ attention without being overly playful. Furthermore, even when selecting topics, we couldn’t post biased content. That’s because the posts I wrote could represent our grade level and our school. Considering these things one by one during meetings, and then going to the grade level director for approval, I learned so much.
The most important thing I learned was ‘prudence’. I had been arrogant, thinking my fast typing and quick information-finding skills were enough, and I had been careless. But managing the school’s SNS required thoroughly checking facts and verifying there were no errors. Thinking about these things helped me relearn the prudence I had forgotten. I reflected on how lightly I had treated information online, and I believe I developed the ability to write more carefully and cultivate a more discerning view of the world.
“To deliver the fastest news”
In conclusion, managing SNS gradually made me more attentive to online information. Previously, I only searched through major portals like Naver or Daum, but things are different now. New tools are emerging, requiring different skills to search on Twitter or Naver. The information circulating also varies significantly. Blogs primarily circulate long-form content, Facebook emphasizes image-driven posts, and Twitter features even shorter updates. One must search for information considering these differences. While the volume of information may have increased, finding reliable information was becoming increasingly difficult. Observing these trends solidified my conviction: society needs talent capable of properly sourcing information. I began dreaming that I should be that person.
Examples of Consideration, Sharing, and Cooperation, and My Reflections
“The Importance of Learning and Experiencing the Process”
I first learned the importance of the process during my sophomore year of high school. It was because I made a major mistake that nearly caused a big problem, but I learned through it by smoothing things over with the help of others.
It happened while managing an SNS account. I had shared information I thought was certain, but it turned out to be unreliable. Because many friends saw it, a major incident occurred. I was tasked with finding and posting an announcement about a proposed revision to a certain curriculum. Since a popular blogger with high view counts had posted the information, I shared it on Facebook without verifying it myself. However, it turned out that blogger hadn’t posted accurate information either. So, in the end, I ended up deceiving my friends. I had lied on Facebook, where everyone from first to third year could see it. I was expecting a severe scolding. But no one reprimanded me. Instead, they encouraged me, saying, “It’s okay to make mistakes when you’re trying hard.” One teacher told me, “This is how you learn. You learn through the ‘process’.”
Hearing that deeply moved me. The idea of learning through the process was a huge comfort. Because of this, I wanted to become that kind of senior myself. So when juniors joined, even if they made many mistakes, I tried to overlook them generously, striving to grow together. As a result, the previously somewhat strict discipline softened into a warm and friendly atmosphere, and we became classmates who were closer to each other than any other SNS management class. Even when juniors joined, I pointed out mistakes but never created an atmosphere of scolding or pressure; instead, I emphasized mutual support. As a result, I became very close with the juniors, and we led activities in an atmosphere of deep, heartfelt encouragement. It was an experience that taught me the power of encouragement over conflict.
Meaningful Extracurricular Activities During High School
“The Significance of the Vibrancy and Passion During Festival Season”
During the festival period, I temporarily paused my SNS activities to focus on class activities. This was because I had been neglecting class activities somewhat due to the weekly meetings and the daily morning and afternoon articles I had to post. Upon becoming a sophomore, I entrusted the SNS duties to juniors and fully participated in class activities. This process brought me another realization.
Up until then, I had been somewhat conceited. I believed I lived more intensely than others. Searching for and writing daily articles while studying made me feel like I was accomplishing something significant. However, the passion I witnessed in my friends during the festival was no less than mine. During the festival, everyone leveraged their unique talents. Our class ran a shaved ice café, and the art students worked hard making panels that boosted our promotion significantly. The design students crafted our costumes beautifully, making ours the prettiest and winning us the Best Dress Award. But that wasn’t all. The math whizzes meticulously handled the calculations, the loudspeakers went out to attract customers, and the quieter members ground the red beans and prepared delicious food to serve our guests. Watching them, I reflected on how conceited I’d been about myself. And I realized just how diverse our class truly was.
That’s when I decided I must respect people’s diversity. In fact, while the information we encounter online is diverse, its source ultimately comes from people. I needed to remember that. Furthermore, exchanging information is also a matter between people. Because of this experience, I came to respect my classmates. And by having diverse conversations with them, I made an effort to learn from them. It was an experience that helped me cultivate a broader perspective.
