In this blog post, I’ll summarize my academic efforts, school activities, examples of compassion and giving, and career preparation process during my high school years.
Academic Experiences and Reflections
The belief that language learning requires practice and daily consistency was the starting point for changing my attitude toward studying in high school. I wanted to improve my grades in language classes—where I hadn’t performed as well as in memorization-based or applied subjects—but no matter how much I memorized or how hard I tried, my scores didn’t rise easily, which led to frustration. After carefully reflecting on the root of the problem, I ultimately decided to focus on “consistency,” and from then on, I chose to study a set amount every day rather than cramming intensively for short bursts.
Specifically, every morning I would write down the day’s study plan in the diary by my bedside. I would first set a major goal for the semester (e.g., “Get all the classical literature questions right,” “Get all the grammar questions right”) and then allocate my daily study time to achieve that goal. I divided my day accordingly: solving English grammar problems in the morning, memorizing vocabulary during lunch, and memorizing idioms from classical literature during spare moments.
At first, sticking to the plan wasn’t easy. It was difficult to study patiently without letting my mind wander during scheduled times, but as I kept repeating this process while adhering to the principle of “consistency,” a study habit naturally took root. My grades began to improve little by little, and I felt a great sense of accomplishment when I achieved the grade I wanted in my junior year.
What I learned through this process was the power of consistency and the importance of habits. I realized firsthand that if I maintained a consistent, regular attitude—even when I was sick, tired, or anxious—the results would follow. Furthermore, the habit of setting and following through on my own plans gave me confidence that it would have a positive impact on my academic performance even after I entered college.
Major School Activities and Reflections
The English-language newspaper club was the most significant activity in which I meaningfully participated at school. My initial reason for joining the club was simply a vague desire to improve my English skills. The club’s activities—conversing and writing in English—seemed impressive, and I wanted to grow through them. However, once I actually began participating, I encountered a major obstacle.
Since I wasn’t even used to writing articles in Korean, producing a newspaper in English was a daunting challenge. Reporting, conducting interviews, and writing articles were all unfamiliar and difficult, and there were times when I felt like a burden among my peers with excellent English skills and wanted to give up. It was my classmates who kept me going during those times. They recognized my efforts and told me that what the team needed was someone who gave their best—not necessarily the best—and encouraged me by saying that I could learn English translation, which gave me the courage to try again.
After refocusing my determination, I actively participated in producing the monthly English-language newspaper. Since my English translation skills were still limited, I focused more on finding news stories, conducting interviews, and engaging readers. I communicated with teachers on campus to find topics that reflected student trends, and when conducting interviews, I brought a voice recorder to ensure I obtained accurate information. I would watch as a friend translated the stories I had covered into English after I summarized them in Korean, striving to learn English sentence structure and expressions, and I also consistently practiced grammar and writing on my own.
As a result, two changes occurred. One was that students at our school began showing interest in our newspaper. Previously, they would casually discard the newspaper, but once they saw their own stories published and found content they could relate to, they began reading it; even students who had been reluctant to engage with English started taking an interest. The other change was that I myself began writing short articles in English. At first, it seemed impossible, but thanks to my efforts—conducting interviews myself and refining my grammar by observing the translation process—I was able to do it.
Through my experience with the English Newspaper Club, I learned that nothing is impossible if you don’t give up, and that the chances of success increase even more with the support of those around you. I also realized that finding one’s role within a team and doing one’s best leads to positive results.
Examples of Consideration, Sharing, and Cooperation, and My Reflections
While covering a story for the English Newspaper Club, I learned that a first-year student was unable to attend school due to an illness. To learn more about the situation, I asked the student’s homeroom teacher and, together with a few classmates who knew the student, visited the hospital to check on their condition. We discovered that the student was in critical condition, needing a heart valve transplant, but there was no donor available and the funds for the surgery had not been secured. Upon learning of this situation, I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.
After consulting with the student, their family, and the homeroom teacher, my colleagues and I decided to organize a fundraising campaign at school. We set up donation boxes throughout the school, regularly published updates in the English-language school newspaper, and ran online promotions through our club’s Facebook page. We also collaborated with the broadcasting club to announce the fundraiser on the school radio, and created templates to share our friend’s story with as many people as possible. Although it was exam season and we were pressed for time, we felt we couldn’t delay any further, so we kept working without stopping.
Students saved their own pocket money to donate to the collection boxes, and when teachers stepped in to inform the alumni association, alumni also joined in the effort. These small donations added up to a significant amount, and we were ultimately able to raise the funds needed for our friend’s surgery. Our friend successfully underwent the surgery and has since recovered. Through this process, I experienced firsthand how much power even small acts of kindness and solidarity can have, and how things that seem impossible become possible when people come together.
This experience went beyond a simple act of charity; it taught me the importance of cooperation and communication. I learned that the process of coordinating with various stakeholders, conveying information accurately, and consistently raising awareness ultimately leads to people’s participation.
Efforts and Preparation Related to Motivation for Application and Career Plans
My interest in English and English literature, sparked by my involvement in the English newspaper club, was the starting point for my career choice. As I wrote articles and learned the translation process to overcome the language barrier, I discovered the joy of creating writing in English, which naturally sparked my curiosity and interest in English literature. English literature taught me to interpret texts in a different way than Korean literature, and the joy I felt in that process became my motivation for my career path.
In particular, after reading Tolstoy’s ‘What Does a Man Live By?’, I began seeking out and reading the works of classic authors from the English-speaking world one by one. I felt a sense of accomplishment every time I finished a book, and I took great pleasure in gaining a deeper understanding of the text by reflecting on the meaning of each individual word. My reading pace, which had been one book per month, gradually accelerated until I reached the point of reading one book per week, and my knowledge and appreciation grew accordingly.
I see the difference between English literature and Korean literature in the way they are read. When reading Korean literature in my native language, I naturally follow my emotions, but English literature requires a process of interpretation that compels me to examine sentences and expressions in depth. This process of decoding was fascinating to me, and as I encountered lives from diverse cultural backgrounds through these works, my desire to actually experience and learn about those worlds grew stronger.
That is why I applied to your university’s Department of English Language and Literature. After enrollment, I intend to systematically develop my ability to interpret original English texts and strengthen my critical reading skills to build expertise as a major in this field. Ultimately, I aspire to grow into an expert who conducts in-depth research in English literature and understands diverse cultural contexts, and I hope to make a meaningful contribution in various fields.
