This blog post introduces how to incorporate experiences using an actual academic plan example from a student preparing for philosophy studies.
Writing about academic experiences and reflections
Identifying and studying the root causes of weak areas – Academic experience and insights
I once faced a major crisis while studying. At some point, I hit a wall where my grades stopped improving entirely. Despite my hard work, my results remained stagnant. Realizing this couldn’t continue, I considered tutoring or cram schools. However, not wanting to burden my parents financially, I decided to find my own way to overcome this hurdle.
First, I used the winter break to start organizing all my wrong answers. I bought a sketchbook and divided the practice tests I’d taken by subject, cutting out only the questions I got wrong and pasting them in. Then, flipping through each page, I carefully examined ‘where exactly I was going wrong’. Analyzing them this way, I realized surprisingly many problems stemmed from fundamental gaps. In the language section, I often missed meanings because I didn’t know basic vocabulary precisely. In math, I frequently couldn’t solve application problems because I hadn’t properly mastered the functions and geometry units learned in 9th grade. My English was also struggling because I’d forgotten basic grammar rules.
After this analysis, I decided to identify the ‘root’ of my weaknesses in each subject and rebuild from the ground up. After pinpointing the deficient units through my error analysis, I went back to the middle school textbooks for the necessary middle school material and to the high school textbooks for the high school material, studying step by step. Naturally, I felt impatient and anxious, wondering, ‘Can I really accomplish this?’ But I calmed my mind and filled in the gaps one by one. For unfamiliar units, I boldly committed them to memory in their entirety to quickly grasp the theory.
By studying from the ground up like this, my grades, which had been stagnant, began to rise gradually. I felt a definite improvement, especially in math and language arts. The difference between solving problems with knowledge versus without was far greater than I’d imagined, and I personally experienced just how crucial the ‘power of fundamentals’ truly is. Since that experience, my top priority in studying has always been ‘learning that sticks to the basics.’ That realization became the driving force sustaining me today, and I will continue to uphold that principle as I pursue my studies.
Major School Activities and Reflections
The Diversity of Thought Experienced in the Book Discussion Club
I absolutely love reading books. Ever since elementary school, whenever I had a question, I always sought answers within books. Reading so many books naturally led me to discover the joy of reading. While I enjoy thinking alone, using books as a medium to expand my thoughts made my own ideas feel clearer. It was like having a picture drawn in my mind or a map unfolded. So, I can say I enjoy not just the act of reading, but exploring the depth and worlds contained within books. For this reason, after entering high school, I naturally joined the Reading Discussion Club.
However, once I joined, the club turned out to be a bit different from what I had expected. Initially, I joined with a lighthearted attitude, drawn only by the word ‘reading,’ but the process of discussion required considerable preparation. Confident in my ability to read and think, I went to the first meeting without much preparation and was greatly surprised by the unexpectedly intense debate. That moment made me realize how carelessly I had been reading and thinking about books until then. Though I felt so flustered during that first discussion that it made my stomach churn, it actually sparked a strong determination within me. I developed a desire to convey my thoughts more clearly and to effectively appeal to others. And as I realized that only by accurately expressing my own thoughts could I truly listen deeply to others’ perspectives, I poured even more passion into reading.
As club activities continued, opportunities to share my thoughts on books with others increased, and naturally, our conversations grew longer. Through exchanging questions like, “What did you feel after reading Demian?” or “Why did Sinclair stare at Demian’s face until the very last moment?”, we came to understand and empathize with the deeper meanings within the book and the author’s intentions. Above all, I was greatly surprised by hearing others’ perspectives. Seeing firsthand how many different perspectives exist made me realize anew that each person has different values, ways of thinking, and inevitably different conclusions. Through this process, I learned to respect and listen to others’ thoughts, broadening the scope of my own thinking through diverse viewpoints.
This experience gave me meaning beyond simple reading. The book discussion club broadened the window through which I view the world and cultivated my ability to generate new ideas and creative concepts. Now, when I read a book, I strive not to remain stuck in my own interpretation but to understand the world more deeply through other perspectives and viewpoints. Through this activity, I clearly realized that only when different thoughts come together does a broader and more colorful world open up.
Examples of Consideration, Sharing, and Cooperation and My Reflections
Becoming Someone Who Quietly Helps from Behind
My most respected ethics teacher once said that to deeply understand philosophy, there are three books one must read: the Bible, the Buddhist scriptures, and the Quran. Taking his words deeply to heart, I began reading the Bible first. While reading the Bible, many passages stayed with me, but the words “Let not your left hand know what your right hand is doing” resonated deeply within my heart. Through that passage, I came to understand the true value of ‘doing good quietly, without drawing attention to oneself.’ From that moment on, I took it upon myself to be someone who silently supports others from behind.
Though I wasn’t class president, vice president, or even assigned cleaning duty, I always arrived early to clean the classroom. I wanted my friends to study energetically in a cleaner environment. I also watered the flowers on the teacher’s desk to keep them fresh. I hoped someone looking at those flowers would smile and feel happy, even for a moment. If a friend fell behind in class or activities, I approached them first to help. I studied alongside friends struggling with poor grades, working together for our mutual growth.
None of these actions were done to receive thanks; they flowed naturally from my heart. Helping others brought me great happiness, and that happiness, in turn, taught me even more. I used to believe that things only had meaning ‘when others recognized them,’ and that value came from doing what everyone else did. But now I realize that knowing the values I pursue and acting in accordance with them is what truly matters most. Especially, the experience of serving others purely for their happiness has given me immeasurable fulfillment.
After that, I participated in volunteer activities every weekend, gradually expanding my scope of involvement. Through this process, I gained many new experiences and found great joy in interacting and sharing thoughts with friends who shared the same heart and the joy of service. All these experiences transformed my life more positively and gave me the strength to continue studying unwaveringly, even during the busy period as a student preparing for exams.
Looking back, becoming ‘someone who quietly helps from behind’ was not merely a change in behavior, but a pivotal moment that transformed my life’s values. Moving forward, I intend to live a life where I remain steadfast and sincere, becoming a small light for those around me, never losing this spirit.
Motivation for Application and Efforts Related to Career Plans
I want to study ‘thought’. After entering high school, I learned and felt a great deal through volunteer work and my book discussion club activities. The most significant realization I gained during this process was that ‘my thoughts are not the only ones that matter’. In my favorite book, Demian, it says that each person has their own path leading back to the origin. Reading that passage made me reflect not only on the fact that each person walks a different path, but also on how to spend the three years of high school meaningfully. My experience in the reading discussion club, in particular, made me realize how mysterious and precious it is when people can truly connect through conversation. We each held different worldviews and values, and I felt how fascinating and valuable it was to understand each other’s thoughts and worlds. This experience became an important lifelong task I wish to continue.
Based on these experiences, I decided to study ‘philosophy’. Philosophy is the discipline that seriously explores thought. I want to deeply contemplate and explore what others think, and the thought processes of great literary figures and philosophers. And what I ultimately want to know through such study is ‘my own thoughts’. Previously, I believed my thoughts were clear and distinct. However, the more I studied, the more I realized that the ideas I held were not so sharp or complete. Therefore, I want to explore and refine my thoughts through proper study. To do this, I believe I must deeply understand the ideas and philosophies of countless people.
My ultimate goal is to become a ‘psychologist’. While many people choose to major in psychology to become psychologists, I chose philosophy. This is because, rather than learning about human psychology directly, I first want to cultivate the ‘power of thinking’ and understand the ‘method of reasoning’ through philosophy. This will enable me to become a psychologist who can deeply empathize with the thoughts of others. After sufficiently developing the power to think and reason, I aspire to grow into a scholar who continues my own research. I intend to take that first step within your university’s Department of Philosophy.
