In this blog post, I will summarize my academic experiences, school activities, examples of consideration and cooperation, and my career preparation process during my time in high school.
Academic Experiences and Reflections
Among the science inquiry courses, I chose biology as an advanced course and studied it in depth. I’ve always been very interested in the plants, animals, and microorganisms around me, and I participated actively in class because I wanted to understand the subject matter more thoroughly. I had a habit of meticulously organizing everything I learned, and I mastered the skill of jotting down key points during class without missing any of the teacher’s explanations.
My biology teacher, noticing my note-taking habits, suggested I compile my notes into a book, and I put that suggestion into practice. Once I set the goal of creating a book, I paid even more attention to the thoroughness and readability of my notes. For example, when explaining blood pressure and osmotic pressure in different sections of the capillaries, I drew the relevant body parts and blood vessels directly into my notes and placed related graphs alongside them to aid understanding.
When explaining heartbeats and vascular characteristics, I avoided overly complex illustrations and instead organized the material to highlight key points using simplified diagrams and integrated graphs. I scanned the completed notebook and uploaded it as a PDF to my personal blog; the positive response led me to decide to actually compile it into a booklet.
The publishing process—from printing to binding—was a new experience for me, as I handled it all myself. Seeing the finished book in person revealed some shortcomings, so I reviewed various reference books to supplement the content and address these gaps. Through this process, I gained a thorough understanding of what information was included in each reference book, which ultimately made my own studies more solid. I distributed the final version individually via my blog and gained valuable experience helping each other out by exchanging notes and materials with friends.
Major School Activities and Reflections
Determined to make my three years of high school meaningful, I balanced my studies with club activities. I carved out time on weekends and during my free time to participate in environmental club activities, and I worked hard not only on internal school activities but also on building networks with clubs from other schools. This allowed me to participate in environmental activities at the local community level, extending beyond the boundaries of my school.
Interacting with clubs from other schools provided an opportunity to learn new perspectives and operational methods. While we had primarily studied environmental issues through books and magazines, our friends from other schools provided practical information by sharing resources from cafes they ran or online materials. Thanks to them, I learned about the Environmental Action Alliance’s programs and, with their guidance, was able to participate in various campaigns.
Our club focused primarily on water pollution. Since water is an essential resource directly linked to daily life, we believed that pollution would have a significant impact on health. So, we independently researched and studied issues such as sewage and wastewater, wastewater treatment facilities, water purification methods, and purification equipment, and we applied the knowledge gained from environmental education to our actual activities.
Our external activities included river cleanup, removal of invasive plant species, and campaigns to release young fish. First, we began the river cleanup activities to restore ecosystems that had been disrupted by concrete block embankments. We identified streams where natural purification functions had been weakened by concrete structures and carried out activities such as collecting trash and replenishing purification materials.
An even more important task for promoting natural purification was ecosystem restoration. We participated in activities to remove invasive plant species and release fry to increase the population of native fish species. Since invasive fish species have strong reproductive capabilities and disrupt the food chain, we sought to restore ecological balance by releasing natural predators capable of controlling them.
These activities were carried out not only by our club but also with the combined efforts of friends from other schools’ clubs. For plant removal, we worked to secure a large number of plants for the long term, and releasing the fish fry—which involved transporting them by truck and then carefully transferring them by hand into basins—was physically demanding work. Working in pairs to carry the basins while carefully preventing the fish from jumping out, we repeated the process over and over. Although our bodies were tired, we felt a great sense of accomplishment.
Writing about examples of consideration, sharing, and cooperation, along with reflections
To mark World Water Day on March 22, the environmental club organized an event to make natural soap aimed at reducing pollution sources in rivers and streams. We decided to conduct the event independently in our club room but to document and share the results and process online; we also introduced the activity to clubs at partner schools in our network so they could participate as well.
We purchased materials in bulk to reduce costs and prepared soap base, additives, essential oils, and soap molds. Since the natural soap was to be distributed free of charge to schools, hospitals, and vulnerable groups, we aimed to produce it with extra care. In the group I participated in, we divided up the tasks to work efficiently.
The process began with cutting the soap base into small pieces and melting it in the microwave, followed by mixing in additives, sorting the essential oils, pouring the mixture into molds, removing air bubbles with ethanol, and finally, packaging the finished products. I was in charge of mixing the additives and packaging, organizing the colors and packaging to match the characteristics of each functional soap. We utilized ingredients such as grain flour, paprika powder, castor oil, and vitamin E derivatives to enhance the soaps’ functional benefits.
The finished soaps were neatly packed into boxes, addressed to the recipient organizations, and shipped. Through this activity, we felt a sense of fulfillment knowing that we were helping to reduce the burden on rivers and streams caused by chemical detergents and that our efforts would help alleviate environmentally induced conditions such as dermatitis. Furthermore, through collaboration with students from other schools, I gained a firsthand understanding of the importance of preparation and division of labor, and learned that even small efforts can benefit the community.
Efforts and Preparation Related to Motivation for Application and Career Plans
Among the various field trips I’ve experienced, the most memorable were the visits to the Korea Water Resources Corporation’s water treatment plant and the Han River Cultural Center. I organized the group field trip with my club members, and because I had a strong interest in water pollution and water treatment, I took the lead in planning the itinerary and making the reservations. The field trip focused on the Banwol Water Treatment Plant in Ansan and the Han River Cultural Center in Seoul.
At the Banwol Water Treatment Plant, I had the opportunity to observe the entire process of drawing raw water from Lake Paldang and treating it. While touring the intake basin, ozone treatment building, and integrated chemical treatment building, I examined the chemicals and equipment used to purify the water. I also directly observed the process by which impurities are removed through the mixing basin, coagulation basin, sedimentation basin, and filtration basin, ultimately resulting in the formation of the purified water reservoir. Watching firsthand how water that was nearly polluted was transformed into drinking water, I was deeply impressed by the technical process involved.
Although the Han River Cultural Center is not a water treatment facility, I was reminded once again of the value of the river and water through its hydroelectric power plant, observation deck, and exhibits on the history of the Han River. During the hands-on activity, I wrote a pledge on a paper boat—as an environmental activist working in the field of water pollution—vowing to return here, and placed it in the “Sharing Hope” zone. This small ritual served as a catalyst for solidifying my career decision.
These experiences made me truly realize just how vital water resources are to our lives and gave me the conviction that this field will become a central industry of the future. Moving forward, I hope to deepen my studies in water pollution and environmental planning at Hanbat National University’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. I aspire to become a member of the university’s Water Pollution and Environmental Planning Laboratory and grow into a professional who contributes to this field.
