In this blog post, I’ll focus on what I learned while balancing practical training and academics during high school, the insights I gained from school activities, and my experiences with conflict management.
Academic Experiences and Reflections
The key challenge was maintaining my grades while preparing for my practical training. Since I spent so much time training, I had less time to study than my classmates, which made it easy to fall behind. As my daily routine of returning home from the gym after training repeated night after night, I realized that if I didn’t manage my time well, each day would simply slip away. So, to use my time more effectively, I began creating a very detailed schedule.
Unlike my friends, who roughly divided their days into waking up, working out, and studying, I planned my schedule in 15-minute increments. Since my commute and transfer times varied—sometimes 25 minutes, sometimes 30—I decided that a detailed plan was necessary to make the most of those small pockets of time. I didn’t let my commute time slip away; I tried to use even the shortest intervals as efficiently as possible.
For example, in the morning, I’d set aside 25 minutes to focus on memorizing vocabulary, and then immediately review it during the 15-minute layover between transit lines. By diligently memorizing new words for 25 minutes and following up with a 15-minute review, I was able to enhance my retention. I made it a rule to stay awake and listen attentively during class, and after returning from my workout, I set aside about an hour to review what I had learned in class. I would then review the material again in small increments during my commute.
Surprisingly, this kind of regular repetition and meticulous time management led to improved grades. In particular, memorizing English vocabulary proved highly effective through the accumulation of short, frequent repetitions, and my habit of reviewing was a great help in applying the knowledge I learned in school to real-life situations. After experiencing positive results once, I became even more convinced of the importance of planning and made an effort to maintain the habit of creating a new plan every day. My determination not to abandon my plan, no matter how tired or busy I was, became a great source of strength for me.
Major School Activities and Reflections
I joined the taekwondo club in high school because I wanted to gain experience related to my major. However, the emotions I felt while training with the friends I met in the club were far more refreshing than I had expected, and that experience was both a profound revelation and a valuable learning opportunity for me.
First, there was the joy of training with friends who weren’t majoring in Taekwondo. Since they weren’t majors, they weren’t technically proficient in terms of rules or techniques, but they enjoyed the sport itself purely, without being bound by the rules. Even if their actions might have seemed illogical from a professional’s perspective, they genuinely enjoyed the matches, and seeing them like that made me view the sport not as a mere obligation but as a source of joy once again. Seeing them genuinely moved and delighted by even the smallest moves I taught them helped me rediscover the excitement and初心 I felt when I first started learning sports.
Second, I learned a lot through interacting with friends who had diverse dreams. Since I grew up focused solely on sports from a young age, the dreams of those around me often converged in a single direction. However, my clubmates had diverse dreams—ranging from music and art to education and entrepreneurship. Through interacting with them, I learned about their attitudes toward pursuing their dreams in various ways and discovered new facets of life, which helped me develop a more colorful and open mindset. The very process of acknowledging and learning from each other’s perspectives was a great source of inspiration, and I also found great joy in the relationships I built.
Third, I learned leadership, which is essential for anyone majoring in physical education. Leadership is not only the ability to guide others but also the power to manage oneself. Mental strength is particularly important for athletes, so an attitude of encouraging oneself and striving to overcome difficulties is essential. Through my club activities, I took on the role of encouraging friends who were struggling and guiding them to work together. The hardships and achievements I experienced with my friends are precious memories for me and served as valuable lessons that helped me grow as a leader.
Examples of Consideration, Sharing, and Cooperation, and My Reflections
One experience where I practiced conflict management and consideration within the club occurred when a theft took place on campus. Since most of our club members were physically large, teachers often suspected us, and this mistrust gradually built up. Then, during a physical education class, someone’s belongings were stolen, and our club was immediately singled out for a search. Instead of hiding my disappointment or reacting defiantly, I calmly explained the situation to my friends and urged them to cooperate with the teachers’ search procedure.
We willingly complied with the teachers’ body searches and the search of our clubroom, and as a result, our innocence was proven. After the search was over, I carefully explained to the teacher where we had been and what we had been doing. I also honestly shared how hurt I felt by the way the search was conducted. Contrary to my expectations, the teacher responded kindly and apologized first, saying that because we had explained our side of the story first, it had helped find a way to resolve the conflict.
Through this experience, I realized that in a conflict situation, what matters most is not suppressing your emotions or reacting defensively, but rather listening carefully and explaining your position calmly. I learned that when facing someone, if you listen attentively and calmly convey your situation, an opportunity arises to clear up misunderstandings. Since then, whenever a conflict arises with someone, I make a point of listening carefully to what they have to say first and then clearly stating my own position. I’ve seen firsthand how this small change has been a great help in restoring relationships and laying the foundation for cooperation.
