In this blog post, I will summarize my academic efforts, school activities, experiences with empathy and collaboration during high school, as well as my motivation for applying to the clinical pathology program and my career preparation process.
Academic Experiences and Reflections
I often compare studying to a romantic relationship. Just as a relationship requires daily thought and frequent interaction to be maintained, I believed that learning requires constant reflection and repetition. So, every night before bed, I would jot down things to think about the next day in a small notebook. I kept that notebook close by at all times—whether I was studying in class, during breaks, or at mealtimes—and used it to reflect and ponder.
My notepad contained problems I could solve in my head, vocabulary I needed to memorize, and fundamental concepts. I frequently reviewed and memorized these items, and during PE class or when moving between classes—when I couldn’t look at the notepad—I would mentally visualize its contents to recall what I needed. This habit of small, repeated practice helped me solidify my grasp of the basic concepts.
By constantly reviewing and thinking about the basic concepts and related knowledge, I forgot less and could apply them immediately when encountering problems. Especially in math and science, where the probability of finding the correct answer increases when various formulas are used appropriately, I was able to memorize these formulas with less effort than my peers and retain them for longer, which gave me confidence in solving application problems.
Thanks to frequently reviewing and memorizing English vocabulary, reading comprehension became much easier. Since I could recall the words, I could quickly grasp the meaning of sentences, which greatly helped me maintain my scores in the foreign language section. Ultimately, by always carrying my notepad and checking it whenever I had a spare moment, I accumulated small amounts of time to achieve significant learning results. I believe these habits served as the foundation for my performance in actual exams and problem-solving situations.
Major School Activities and Reflections
Through my participation in the reading club, I deeply came to understand the saying, “Books are food for the soul.” Initially, I joined the club to gain diverse indirect experiences as I aspired to become a psychologist, but the club’s activities went beyond simple reading to focus on expressing and expanding upon our impressions.
After reading a book, our club would draw pictures, invite musicians to express our feelings through sound, or use various methods such as clay modeling, theater, and video production to express our impressions of the book from multiple angles. Through workshops with college students majoring in art psychology, we explored ways to visually interpret the book’s content. Since many activities were planned and executed by the students themselves, I was able to develop a sense of autonomy and creativity.
I learned that, unlike video, books create space for readers to think for themselves. While videos leave a strong impression but leave little room for reflection, books pose questions through sentences and words, guiding readers to find their own answers. The experience of consistently reading one book a week and expressing my thoughts in various ways broadened my perspective and served as an opportunity to cultivate both my ability to understand others and my expressive skills.
Through reading, my initial career aspirations also shifted. I had been interested in becoming a profiler to analyze criminals’ psychology and ensure their punishment, but the various life stories and emotions I encountered in books led me to realize that understanding and addressing the root causes of issues is more important than merely focusing on the outcomes of cases. Ultimately, I found the process of exploring causes and devising solutions more compelling than simply diagnosing people and meting out punishment, which is why I became interested in the Department of Clinical Pathology.
Examples of Compassion, Sharing, and Cooperation, and My Reflections
One of the things I learned from a book was a simple method for relieving fatigue using moxibustion, acupuncture, and massage. I happened to read that book early in my sophomore year; it contained scientifically explained techniques for acupressure and massage. I learned the methods and first tried them on my family. Seeing how much they enjoyed it, I began helping my friends at school as well.
What started as a bit of fun gradually gained popularity, and then a decisive moment arrived. During an exam, a friend sitting behind me suddenly collapsed, complaining of stomach pain. Upon talking to her, I learned she was suffering from severe menstrual cramps. I asked the teacher if it would be okay to help her even during class, received permission, and then carefully assisted her using the acupoints and massage techniques I knew.
As a result, my friend’s pain subsided, allowing her to finish the exam. Afterward, she went to the hospital for treatment, and her exam results were not affected. Through this experience, I realized that even a small amount of knowledge can be a great help in real-life situations. I learned the lesson that practical knowledge related to people’s pain and suffering is always useful, so it is important to learn first aid and simple massage techniques.
Since then, I have consistently studied first aid techniques and simple treatments for bruises or indigestion, helping my friends whenever needed. These experiences of responding sensitively to others’ pain and taking immediate action have given me a great sense of fulfillment and helped me truly understand the meaning of care and sharing.
Efforts and Preparation Related to Motivation for Application and Career Plans
My mother’s constant advice has become the guiding principle of my life. Her words, “I hope everyone who knows you will be happy,” have become a commitment deeply engraved in my heart and the starting point of my dreams. I explain my reason for applying to the Department of Clinical Pathology at Eulji University in one sentence: “To make more people happy and healthy.”
Although modern medicine has overcome many diseases, there are still illnesses for which there are no cures or that cause suffering. I want to become a pathologist to uncover the causes of diseases, develop treatments, and provide practical help to patients through diagnosis. My goal is to become a researcher who goes beyond simple diagnosis to explore causes and contribute to prevention and treatment.
To prepare for this career path, I focused most of my efforts in high school on cultivating my character. I believed that mechanical knowledge alone was insufficient for work that deals with human life and dignity, so I strove to understand others by gaining indirect experiences through reading. I developed my ability to empathize by engaging with diverse life stories and believed that my studies and experiments should be grounded in respect for others.
At school, I learned and practiced first aid and basic massage techniques so that I could provide assistance in emergencies. I paid close attention to my friends’ well-being so I could offer immediate help, and I consistently participated in volunteer work to directly engage with neighbors facing social hardships. These experiences broadened my worldview and instilled in me a deeper reverence for life.
In the future, I hope to build specialized knowledge and research capabilities in the Department of Clinical Pathology to contribute to identifying the causes of diseases and finding treatments. Drawing on the habits, values, and experiences of compassion and service I cultivated in high school, I will become a competent professional who contributes to patient-centered research and clinical care.
