In this blog post, I’ll focus on the academic efforts I made and the school activities I participated in during high school, as well as the lessons I learned through empathy and collaboration.

Academic Experiences and Reflections

I’ve always enjoyed studying, and my natural curiosity meant I wasn’t afraid to tackle new problems. I liked taking a creative approach to applied problems, which helped me earn good grades on math application problems and essay-style questions in Korean language. I also did well in memorization-based subjects because I found joy in applying new knowledge.
However, toward the end of my freshman year of high school, I began to face a dilemma. While I was a quick learner and could absorb a lot of information in a short time, I struggled to sit still and concentrate for long periods, making it difficult to endure extended study sessions. My maximum concentration span was about 30 minutes at most, so I was anxious about how I would manage as the workload increased in my upper grades.
So, I decided to find a study method suited to my situation and tried the “30-Minute Study Method.” I divided my time by studying intensely for 30 minutes, followed by a 3-minute break to stretch, drink water, or clear my head. At first, it felt distracting, but I realized that with proper planning, it was actually quite efficient.
Specifically, I set my daily study time and workload in advance, divided them into 30-minute blocks, and stuck to this schedule consistently until I got used to it. It felt awkward and difficult at first, but it soon became a routine, and I was able to perform at my best. Ultimately, I learned the hard way that understanding yourself and tailoring your study methods to your needs leads to better results.

Major School Activities and Reflections

During high school, I devoted the most passion to volunteer work, second only to my studies. There was a volunteer club at my school, so I joined it and consistently participated in various volunteer programs through the club’s activities. Although going out to volunteer once a week was sometimes tiring, I never stopped.
My family had a significant influence on why I started volunteering. I grew up listening to my father’s stories about how he had been helped by others when he was young, and even now, he lives a life dedicated to repaying the kindness he received through volunteer work. As a result, I naturally came to view volunteering as an integral part of my life, and I learned from a young age that even a small act of kindness can bring great hope to someone.
During the school year, I volunteered at a community welfare center in the Seoul metropolitan area, and whenever circumstances allowed, I also participated in environmental cleanup activities by picking up trash. The most important lesson I learned through these experiences was “the attitude of letting go of selfishness.” Since volunteer work involves collaborating with others, cooperation was essential; I realized the importance of responsibility through the experience of seeing how neglecting my duties due to personal circumstances could dampen the morale of the entire group.
I also took the initiative to perform small acts of service within the school. Even without being asked, I picked up trash and helped with meal service and recycling, striving to put the spirit of volunteerism into practice. These small habits came together to foster a culture of voluntary participation among club members, leading to positive changes such as each of us taking on important roles in our respective classes.
Ultimately, volunteer work was not merely a way to pass the time, but a crucial experience that shaped my character and influenced my daily habits. I feel that learning to care for others and work together had a positive impact on my school life as a whole.

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

During my sophomore year of high school, I faced many challenges as vice-class president. Our class had students who caused trouble, as well as many who were passive; as a result, we didn’t get along well and split into cliques. Consequently, the classroom atmosphere was poor, our grades dropped, and teachers would sigh as soon as they entered the room.
I wanted to change this atmosphere and made various attempts to foster harmony. I hosted pizza parties and snack parties at my own expense and even took the class to watch basketball games together, but things didn’t change easily. In particular, as the school festival approached and we had to prepare for the choir performance, most of my classmates found it a hassle and were reluctant to participate, which made me feel a strong sense of crisis.
In the end, the approach I chose was to “work quietly and steadily.” I started making the matching T-shirts and headbands needed for the choir all by myself, staying behind after evening study hall to work on them for an hour each day. It felt lonely and like a never-ending task, but as I kept at it without giving up, I gradually began to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Once my friends saw me taking the lead, they began to come and help, one by one. The headbands, which I could only make a few of each day when working alone, were completed within a week with everyone’s help, and we were finally able to start our choir rehearsals. By the time the choir competition ended, even the friends who had previously kept to themselves had come together as one. What I learned from this experience is that actions speak louder than words, and that consistent diligence is what truly inspires people.