In this blog post, I’ll summarize my academic experiences and school activities during high school, examples of my consideration and cooperation, as well as my motivation for applying and my career preparation process.
Academic Experiences and Reflections
The most challenging part of studying was the anxiety that came from wondering, “Am I really doing well?” Even though I was working hard, there were many friends around me who seemed to be doing better or working harder than I was. I felt frustrated because I didn’t know what else I needed to do or whether what I was doing was sufficient. A small turning point that helped alleviate that anxiety was when I developed the habit of marking my study progress on a calendar.
I marked the calendar based on how well I had followed through on my daily plans. For example, on a day when I planned to solve 20 problems each in Korean, a foreign language, and math—and review my mistakes—if I completed both Korean and the foreign language but only reviewed half of my math mistakes, I would mark that day as “90%.” If I had only solved the problems for all three subjects, I marked it as “50%,” and on days when I did exceptionally well, I marked it as “100%.” I started this as a fun way to reflect on my progress, but after a month, I could see at a glance which days I did well and which days I fell short.
On the calendar, the periods with many “100%” entries and those with less than “50%” stood out, allowing me to see how consistently I’d been studying and which study methods were effective on specific days. Above all, I had always felt like I was falling short, but realizing that there were actually days when I did surprisingly well was reassuring, and that reassurance became the motivation to try even harder. Naturally, I developed the desire to “do a little more today,” and I formed the habit of trying to do a little more each day.
Major Campus Activities and Reflections
The activity I found most meaningful was the library club “Shimteo.” Our school’s library is large and requires student staff to manage it, and there’s a long-standing tradition of students helping with its operations. After hearing that the club had strong bonds with alumni and a warm atmosphere, I applied as soon as I enrolled and began participating.
The biggest change I experienced through club activities was my attitude toward books. In the past, reading felt like a language arts assignment—a burden—and I often avoided books because I knew I’d have to write book reports. However, seeing the diverse ways my club seniors approached books broadened my perspective on reading. Some seniors enjoyed the power of words or the energy conveyed by the sentences themselves more than the content, and watching them taught me that I could enjoy even difficult books without fear.
Another lesson I learned was the importance of rules and club management. We were in charge of book check-outs and returns during lunch, dinner, and morning breaks, and I came to understand firsthand why it’s crucial to follow established rules without making exceptions—even for people we knew. Since breaking a single rule can lead to a domino effect, enforcing them wasn’t easy at first, but once I learned how to communicate them step-by-step according to the situation, our operations ran much more smoothly. This experience helped me develop a sense of responsibility and communication skills.
Through club activities, I was positively influenced in all aspects of school life—from my attitude toward books and my commitment to following rules to the bonds formed between upperclassmen and underclassmen. Above all, I believe the experience of growing close to books will be a valuable asset in my life.
Examples of Consideration, Sharing, and Cooperation, and My Reflections
The rule for library duty was that we worked in pairs on a weekly rotation. Thanks to the consideration shown by leaving class five minutes early to eat lunch before the others and then heading to the library, I was able to carry out my assigned duties. Sometimes I felt queasy from eating too quickly, but I approached my responsibilities with a sense of duty, keeping in mind that my turn came around once every two months.
One day, while chatting with friends, I noticed that the library books were torn in various places and their covers were tattered. Feeling sorry for the books that were no longer in a condition to be borrowed, I cautiously suggested, “Let’s come together during our free time to repair the books.” My proposal to come in a little early in the morning to take care of the books was met with skepticism at first, but we eventually began the project with the belief that we could solve the problem together.
I decided to be the first to come in early every morning to tend to the books, and since the library was far from my home, waking up an hour earlier wasn’t easy. However, once it became a habit, I actually felt more at ease, and that hour spent quietly restoring the books became a precious moment of rest and a sense of accomplishment for me. Seeing my example, my club friends began coming in early one by one, and through our collective small efforts, we were able to beautifully restore the damaged books.
Through this experience, I learned the impact of action and the importance of collaboration. I realized firsthand that a single person’s small efforts can positively influence others, and that collaboration can bring about meaningful change.
Efforts and Preparation Related to Motivation for Application and Career Plans
During high school, I didn’t consider myself the “bright and quick” type. While some of my friends could memorize something after seeing it just once or solve problems accurately after hearing them just once, I lacked that kind of immediate talent. Instead, my strength was perseverance. Even if there weren’t dramatic changes every day, I consider my ability to keep at it consistently to be one of my greatest strengths. It was because of that perseverance that I became interested in the field of Health Administration and Management and decided to apply to that department.
Over the course of a year in the club, I reviewed nearly a thousand books. This was possible because I worked steadily, reading three to five books a day, and continued to come in even during school breaks without taking a day off. I didn’t push myself too hard by trying to do too much at once, nor did I stop simply because I didn’t feel like it; instead, I kept going with the mindset of “I’ll do as much as I can, consistently.” This consistency is a clear strength of mine, and I hope to build on it to become a valuable asset in the field of health administration.
After enrollment, I plan to develop my capabilities by earning professional certifications, maintaining good grades, and gaining diverse hands-on experience. Guided by my professors’ instruction, I will decide which specific field to pursue, prepare for the relevant certifications, and approach my studies with diligence. Additionally, I aim to grow into a valuable professional by gaining practical experience through internships and volunteer work to develop the skills needed in an organizational setting. Even if I feel awkward at times, I want to be someone who keeps moving forward with my characteristic perseverance and ultimately achieves results.
