This blog post explores how to logically connect experiences like home garden cultivation, harvesting, and donations to your major interests, problem awareness, and career vision when writing an agriculture/food academic plan—moving beyond simple anecdotes.
Writing About Academic Experiences and Reflections
“The biggest secret to improving grades lies in fully utilizing ‘classroom instruction.’”
My family’s financial situation didn’t allow me to attend a cram school. Therefore, my only study resources were school classes and occasional opportunities to watch online lectures. However, I struggled to concentrate during online lectures. Since I had the computer open while working, I inevitably got distracted by other tasks. I desperately wanted to attend a cram school, but I couldn’t bring myself to tell my parents I wanted to go. Then it suddenly hit me: the people who run cram schools often don’t have teaching credentials. But my teachers are the ones who passed the notoriously difficult teacher certification exam. Why hadn’t I considered listening to my teachers? Once that thought occurred to me, I resolved to make the most of my classes for studying.
First, I prepared extremely thoroughly for class. The reason for previewing the material was not only to anticipate what the teacher would cover but also to think through potential questions beforehand. So, while preparing for class, I marked any parts I thought I might not understand or had questions about and asked the teacher about them. If there was time left during class, I’d ask then; if not, I’d follow the teacher during breaks to ask. At first, studying this way felt awkward, but once it became a habit, it actually became more enjoyable.
And the great thing about studying so actively was that once I studied something or asked a question, I never forgot it. Rather than just passively listening to the teacher, resolving my doubts felt like completing quests in a game, bringing immersion and enjoyment. Another major advantage was that the teachers were eager to share more, allowing me to gain valuable insights. Through this proactive approach, I gained better opportunities, better teachers, and deeper learning than attending a cram school could offer.
Writing about major school activities and reflections
“The Joy I Felt While Cultivating the Garden”
Our school has a designated area in the backyard where we can cultivate a garden. Of course, not many friends actually use that space. Only a few friends utilize it, and even they don’t tend to it much, so the cleaning ladies often end up watering it more frequently. Like most others, I wasn’t particularly interested in the backyard either. However, after my parents happened to buy me some lettuce seeds, I planted them, and then experienced the joy of picking and eating that lettuce as it grew on its own. That’s when I developed a taste for planting something, watching it grow, and harvesting it. So, around the time I started second grade, I began seriously tending the backyard and cultivating plants. Around that time, I also applied for and started volunteer work caring for the backyard.
And there were two main joys I felt while tending the garden. One was simply the fun of growing something. Watching plants grow after I watered them and fed them fertilizer felt like magic. Sometimes I didn’t put in much effort, yet seeing the fresh leaves growing tall and looking back at me made me feel like I was their parent. Witnessing their growth was incredibly rewarding, and as I kept watching the plants, I grew attached to them, which greatly improved my emotional state. Before, I was exhausted from studying and couldn’t sleep due to the anxiety that grew day by day. But as I gradually cultivated my garden, the satisfaction I felt brought peace to my mind. I slept well and was always filled with joy.
And another fun part was the joy of learning. As someone growing plants for the very first time, I naturally made many mistakes and had a lot to learn. But by taking an interest and reading books and information, I could rescue plants in crisis or help them thrive, experiencing the joy of learning. It was a different kind of pleasure from studying. After all, studying shows results only much later, whereas plants show results immediately. That joy made me even more interested in plants.
“The Reward of Donating the Harvest”
Another enjoyable activity was when I started donating the plants I grew. I used to grow roses in one corner of the flower bed. I would cut those roses, arrange them beautifully, and bring them to the grandmothers at the senior center. I still vividly remember the faces of those grandmothers, smiling even brighter than the flowers themselves. I also planted and cultivated thriving vegetables like cabbage, radishes, and tomatoes, which I delivered to children’s welfare centers and senior welfare centers. That too was incredibly rewarding. Though small, it made me realize how deeply heartwarming it is to share with others. So I worked even harder at growing things. I petitioned the school to expand the garden plot, and we ended up with a much larger space. Then other friends joined in too. With many friends working together, we harvested much more. This year, we were able to share a lot of fruits and vegetables with the community. It was incredibly rewarding for me.
Cases of Consideration, Sharing, and Cooperation and My Reflections
“Cooking delicious food for friends and sharing it”
I pondered deeply about what I could offer my friends. What came to mind was delicious food. As I grew to love farming, I naturally developed an interest in cooking. With so many crops coming home, I wanted to try cooking them. I also wanted to prepare tasty meals to treat my hardworking parents and younger siblings. Before I knew it, my cooking skills naturally improved, and I became skilled enough to serve others. So I started sharing food with my friends too.
Especially my steamed pumpkin was incredibly popular. I would hollow out a sweet pumpkin and steam it whole, or stuff it with cheese and seasonings. Sometimes I’d mix it with vegetables to make a salad. The reason I started doing this was because many of my friends were obese, being in their growth spurt and eating a lot. I felt it was a shame that even when eating the same amount, food could be made tastier and more balanced, especially using our local farm produce. So I thought, why not make snacks myself and give them to my friends? Fortunately, that idea turned into a successful experiment. Of course, I didn’t give them huge amounts, but eating the sweet pumpkin together did reduce how often they went to the snack shop.
Through this experience, I felt two things. One was confidence in trying new things. I, who couldn’t even cook, ended up cooking. And my desire to help my friends was conveyed, leading us to enjoy nutritious food together. In other words, I gained confidence that if you try, you can do it. The other was the joy of sharing. Sharing seems to multiply and come back to you. Sometimes friends would bring things themselves. I’d receive fruits or vegetables through their mothers. Or friends would like me and help me when we studied together. I realized that sharing truly comes back to you.
Efforts and Preparation Related to Motivation and Career Plans
“The desire to create a great educational system using the experiential farm!”
What I felt while growing crops and developing a taste for them was that cultivating something from the earth provides tremendous emotional stability and joy. I experienced this myself and also witnessed friends, exhausted from their studies, finding joy while growing crops together. Seeing friends whose stress melted away, choosing to come touch the soil instead of playing games on their phones, made me realize cultivating crops is truly a good thing, something that provides emotional stability. That’s why I began envisioning a business venture.
Specifically, creating an experiential farm. Friends living in cities these days tend to think too narrowly. The reason is their limited experiences. All they can do is study, and it’s clear that children who occasionally engage in arts and physical education won’t develop creative thinking. Therefore, there’s a greater need for diverse experiences, and I believe the answer lies in ‘experience farms’. Existing experience farms are all about harvesting according to the season. But I want to create a system where children can grow things from start to finish, unlike those farms. I want to create an experiential farm where children come in person every weekend to tend to their crops, and on weekdays, they can call the farm managers to care for them.
To achieve this, I realized I must study agriculture, management, and economics comprehensively. So, I will build my knowledge by taking courses related to this plan. I also plan to visit various experience farms to gather data firsthand and build a foundation. I believe experience is especially crucial in business. Therefore, while collecting and building data, I will also gain experience by personally trying out and working at experience farms across the country. This will help me lay the groundwork for starting a business and provide opportunities for diverse experiences to my peers living in the present.
