This blog post explores how to persuasively link your personal interest in wellness to your major in the Agricultural Chemistry and Food Engineering academic plan, using scientific inquiry processes, food analysis experience, and the rationale behind your major choice.
Writing About Academic Experience and Reflections
“Studying Science: Turning Workbooks into Reference Materials”
I enjoyed science, but my grades were somewhat lower outside of biology. I chose science not because of my grades, but because it was a field that genuinely interested me. I was originally drawn to food engineering, and reading books related to it sparked my interest in science itself. This led me to decide to seriously study science, and the first resource I turned to was textbooks. My strong grades in biology stemmed from genuinely loving the subject—I enjoyed deeply understanding biological principles and naturally delved into the material on my own. Reviewing the biology workbooks I’d solved, I discovered my approach to studying science. I realized I had unconsciously written down the biological principles related to each problem in the workbook, almost like reviewing them, and learned by repeating this process. By organizing and writing down the biological principles next to every problem, it became a form of repeated learning, and that’s how they became fully ingrained in my mind. So, I decided to study other science subjects that way too. While solving problems, I prioritized grasping the principles within the problem over solving it quickly. And just like with the biology workbook, when solving problems in other subjects, I organized the scientific principles to the extent that I turned the workbook into a reference guide. As I solved problems while organizing principles, question patterns became visible, and I could solve similar types almost blindfolded. Moreover, repeatedly studying scientific principles in depth sparked a desire to explore beyond textbook content—to delve into deeper knowledge. This led me to seek out specialized textbooks and general interest books related to the subject. Through this process, I realized the power of first understanding the principles behind knowledge and the joy of learning. This sparked an expectation that university studies would be even more about awakening such principles, and it also gave me the willpower to endure the current difficult studies for university admission. With that determination, I gradually improved my grades and was able to diligently prepare for college entrance.
Major School Activities and Reflections
“Our School’s Idol Shining on the Dance Club Stage”
I was known as our school’s idol. As a member of the dance club, I performed on numerous stages, dancing in front of friends and seniors/juniors. It wasn’t just about dancing for the club’s stage performances; I genuinely loved dance and voluntarily gathered with friends to practice. That’s why I could show passion on stage, and friends who saw that passion gave me the nickname “high school idol.” I studied hard, but I also put just as much effort into dance club activities. Some people questioned why I worked so hard on activities unrelated to studying, but I believed these club activities were actually the driving force behind my improved grades. It allowed me to relieve the stress from studying through activities I loved, enabling me to approach my studies with a fresh mindset. Furthermore, pouring my passion into activities beyond academics made me feel like I was developing diverse abilities and becoming a better person. So, I dedicated myself to the dance club with as much passion as I did to my studies. My dedication was recognized, and in my second year, I even served as the dance club leader.
“Selling drinks at the bazaar”
Our school has been running a bazaar program. It was a program where students exchanged items or sold good, rarely used items, donating the proceeds to a worthy cause. I actually don’t tend to buy unnecessary things, so I didn’t have any items to contribute to the bazaar. However, I really wanted to participate in donating the proceeds to a good cause, so I thought about making and selling drinks.
I thought of making and selling drinks using fruits like banana + apple, kale + apple, and watermelon. I immediately told my teacher, submitted a plan, and started putting it into action. For the fruit, I got help from my dad to buy it cheaply at cost. Then, my friends and I gathered to make and taste mixed fruit juices ourselves, finding the tastiest combination and creating a recipe. We each brought our home blenders to the bazaar and made the fruit blends to sell. We calculated material and labor costs but sold the juice at an affordable price that wasn’t burdensome. We also created promotional slogans highlighting how people could enjoy a healthy juice packed with nutrients at a low price. Word spread about how delicious it was, gaining popularity, and we earned more profit than we had anticipated. I believe the popularity of the fruit juice stemmed from its taste. We worked hard with friends to find delicious combinations, created recipes with precise ratios, and made the juice exactly according to the recipe for everyone, which satisfied our customers. Additionally, we created recipe combinations with nutrition in mind and emphasized this in our promotions, which I believe helped attract people.
Examples of Consideration, Sharing, and Cooperation and My Reflections
“Dance Stage Practice”
A dance stage can never be successful if one person stands out alone. A truly impressive dance stage is created when you synchronize your breathing and choreography with the friends you share the stage with. I always emphasized this when teaching juniors. As the club leader, I directed the debut stage for the first-year juniors’ dance club. Helping with choreography practice gave me experience in cooperation and conflict management. The juniors, lacking stage experience, initially focused more on trying to stand out individually rather than cooperating with each other when creating and practicing the choreography. Consequently, their movements didn’t sync well, and they often bumped into each other. This made their dance moves look uncoordinated, and their overall skill level appeared insufficient for the stage. Some juniors even came to me, frustrated with one friend who struggled to follow the moves, saying they couldn’t practice with her. I decided we couldn’t continue practicing like this. I stopped all practice, gathered the juniors, and explained. I told them the reason we take the stage isn’t to show off individual skills, but to present a dance that fills the stage through cooperation. Therefore, in their current state, they couldn’t perform on stage. I emphasized that the stage isn’t just theirs alone, but mine and my friends’, and that only when the choreography is synchronized through cooperation can they earn the audience’s response. Then, thinking that seeing is believing, I showed them a video of my friends and me performing back in our first year, when we had put in immense practice to synchronize our breathing. Watching that video, the juniors realized their mistakes, repented, and asked for a week to make amends. A week later, they showed me a stage performance where they collaborated to align their choreography paths, helped friends struggling to follow the moves, and synchronized their actions.
I was deeply moved that the juniors empathized with my story and delivered it so well. It also confirmed to me that the power of cooperation can overcome individual selfishness.
Efforts and Preparation Related to Motivation and Career Plans
“Well-being: Outdated? A Value Worth Preserving”
The term “well-being” might seem like an outdated trend to some. However, I believe well-being is a value that must always be preserved. Eating well is directly linked to health. Eating well isn’t just about eating what you crave; it means achieving nutritionally balanced meals. We need experts who understand this and can help others do the same. As a guardian of people’s health and a leader in promoting well-being values, I want to study in the Department of Agricultural Chemistry and Food Engineering to establish standards for food. Economic development and global exchange have profoundly transformed our eating habits. Consequently, nutritional analysis of food, development of food ingredients, and analysis of food consumption trends have become increasingly important. I wish to study and research these aspects of food and eating habits at the Department of Agricultural Chemistry and Food Engineering at Kyungsang National University. Eating itself serves as proof of modern living standards and can even become an indicator of a nation’s value. Ensuring access to healthy, safe, and reliable food must be undertaken at the national level. I aspire to become a professional who contributes to the nation and its people in this field. To achieve this, I will diligently complete as many of your university’s food-related science courses as possible, excel in them, pursue advanced studies, and lay the groundwork to become a food engineering expert. Furthermore, if possible, I wish to dedicate my passion to conducting research on food development and high-value-added food development while attending school, striving to validate the results of this research. As a researcher and student at your esteemed institution, I will become a talent who contributes to society as an expert benefiting humanity, leading the value of well-being and ensuring safe food for our nation.
