In this blog post, I’ll summarize how my academic efforts, school activities, acts of consideration and cooperation, and reading during high school shaped my character and career path.

Reflections on My Academic Experience

The short periods of time left over while studying are often called “spare moments.” While many people advise making the most of these spare moments, putting that advice into practice isn’t easy. Especially during my senior year of high school, I often wanted to lie down and rest during breaks, and after lunch, I’d relieve stress by chatting with friends, making it difficult to get back to studying. Although it was hard to stay focused even during breaks, I decided to truly make the most of that time.
First, I announced to my close friends, with whom I usually chatted, “From now on, I’m going to study even during breaks.” Following the advice that telling others makes it easier to change habits, I sat in my chair during breaks to stick to my word. Once I sat down, I naturally ended up doing something, so even small study sessions continued. I focused on material that required repetitive memorization rather than subjects that demanded deep concentration.
My goals were to prepare for admission to a teachers’ college while maintaining my grades in all subjects and keeping my college entrance exam scores high in the core subjects. To achieve these two goals, I needed to allocate my study time effectively, and making use of spare moments was essential. So, I decided to use the short breaks between classes for memorization related to arts and physical education subjects, and the longer breaks after lunch or in the evening for memorization in the core subjects.
Specifically, I divided the material I needed to memorize into sections and wrote them down in a small notebook, then repeated the material to commit it to memory. The material I memorized mainly consisted of English vocabulary and math formulas, as well as key summaries of classical Korean literature works when necessary. By consistently utilizing these spare moments, my study efficiency improved noticeably, and it greatly helped me balance my preparation for both my school grades and the CSAT.

Major School Activities and Reflections

Although I devoted most of my time to studying during my three years of high school, I simply could not give up my activities in the band club. I had been active in the band club since my freshman year, and it held great significance for me because of the interactions with seniors and juniors and the various performance experiences I gained. In particular, even though many of my friends quit the club during my senior year, I continued to visit the clubroom at least once a week to practice.
Playing the electric guitar in the band was a major part of my role. Playing itself served as a great stress reliever, and the sweat I worked up during practice meant I didn’t need to do any separate physical exercise. Returning to the classroom to study after a performance actually improved my concentration, and I was able to study more efficiently than when I studied for long stretches without breaks.
Whenever underclassmen brought in songs or performances they’d created, they’d often ask me to evaluate them. By listening to what worked well and what needed improvement, and by giving feedback, I also developed my own musical discernment. The entire process—composing music, writing lyrics, and revising them repeatedly during practice—always brought a sense of novelty and excitement, and this became a source of creativity for me. Thanks to this creativity, when faced with new performance assessments or unfamiliar problems, I wasn’t flustered and could come up with various solutions.
Through my band activities starting in my sophomore year, I learned how to express myself. Although I was originally quiet and introverted, learning to play the electric guitar and writing lyrics allowed me to channel the frustrations of high school life and the difficulties I faced in relationships through music. I felt immense joy and a deep connection when my friends related to my music and when I connected with the audience.
As I performed more frequently, my personality gradually became more outgoing. I became able to express my thoughts and feelings honestly, which brought about a significant change in how I communicate with others. Furthermore, since being in a band is a collaborative effort rather than a solo activity, the mutual influence among band members was significant; I drew strength from my friends’ passion and felt that my own presence served as a source of courage and strength for others. That is why my time in the band club remains an unforgettable memory from my school days.

Examples of Consideration, Sharing, and Cooperation, and My Reflections

My experience in high school music class had a major influence on my decision to major in music education in the Department of Elementary Education. My music teacher, who pointed out the problem of reduced class hours for arts and physical education subjects in an exam-oriented educational environment, emphasized that we should not block the channels through which students express themselves during this highly sensitive period of their lives, and she worked hard to provide diverse music education opportunities.
The multimedia music resources my teacher procured included electronic equipment for DJing and music composition software. These resources held even greater significance for me because we could freely use them in our band club activities as well. During class, we formed teams, chose a theme, learned the software’s functions, and worked on assignments to compose music that matched our chosen theme.
After numerous attempts—layering and splicing together electronic sounds, natural sounds, and voices—we were able to capture the theme “A Dreamlike Dream” in our music. By building on what we learned in class and collaborating with my band club members to continue composing, we were able to create a piece that was far richer and of higher sound quality than anything I could have composed on the piano alone.
Through this process, I learned the value of collaborative creation. By respecting each other’s ideas, dividing roles, and working together, I learned how to bring out the best in one another. This experience reinforced my conviction that I must actively utilize a variety of teaching aids and tools to foster students’ creativity in the classroom.

Efforts and Preparation Related to Motivation for Application and Career Plans

Ever since I was young, I have dreamed of becoming a teacher. However, I struggled with questions about what kind of teacher I should become and what values I should uphold as an educator. To find the answers, I began reading books on education, and among them, those dealing with the lives and practices of educators had a particularly profound impact on me.
Among the books I read, ‘Educators Who Sowed Hope Through Teaching’ prompted me to reflect on the essence of education and equality through the lives and practices of female educators. The stories of educators who fought for marginalized children, like Miss Sullivan, were examples that turned the belief in equal education—that “no one is a bad person just because they are less educated”—into reality, and this resonated deeply with me as I formed my own educational philosophy.
Furthermore, the book on “Maria Montessori” highlighted the importance of teaching methods and the learning environment. The sections on Montessori’s use of educational materials and the design of the learning environment served as a model for the teaching approach I aspire to, and I was deeply impressed by how a teacher’s careful preparation and thoughtfulness lead to respect for children’s rights and autonomy. Moving forward, based on these values and methods, I aim to become a teacher who nurtures students’ creativity and sensitivity by utilizing musical instruments and multimedia.