In this blog post, I’ll summarize what I learned and felt, focusing on my academic efforts, school activities, and examples of compassion, generosity, and cooperation during my time in high school.

Reflections on Academic Experiences

Establishing the Principle of Completing All Daily Goals
Through middle school, I tended not to study systematically, which resulted in a significant disparity: I performed better in subjects I liked and worse in those I didn’t. When I entered high school and college admissions became a reality, I realized I couldn’t just study the subjects I enjoyed. So, to break away from this unbalanced approach, I decided to create a study plan.
At first, I was at a loss as to how to create a plan. Because of my long-standing habit of studying without a plan, I had to start by learning how to create one from scratch. I sought advice from friends who were good at studying and from my teachers, and by asking questions consistently, I learned how to make a study plan. Through this process, I was able to identify which subjects required more focus and develop a strategy to improve my grades in a balanced way.
Specifically, I created a plan by adjusting the time allocation for each subject on a weekly basis, and based on that weekly plan, I determined the daily study load. I made it a rule to finish the daily study load by the end of each day, and if I ran out of time, I would cut back on sleep or rest time to ensure I completed the assigned amount. I believed that sticking to my plan was equivalent to keeping a promise to myself and a process of building self-confidence.
By studying in a systematic and meticulous manner, I built trust in myself. As a result, I was able to improve my grades in subjects where I was struggling and maintain my performance in subjects I was already strong in. This improvement in my grades created the conditions for me to focus more on preparing for early admissions, and through this experience, I came to believe that “studying is about trust in oneself.” I deeply realized that consistently keeping promises to myself ultimately leads to tangible results.

Description of Major School Activities and Reflections

Consistently Volunteering at a Shelter for Abandoned Dogs
As someone who has loved animals since raising a pet dog, my volunteer work at school naturally led me to shelter activities for abandoned dogs. I was influenced by my parents, who also consistently engage in activities related to abandoned dogs, and I sought out and consistently participated in activities I could do at school. When I first visited the shelter, my heart ached at the sight of the poor conditions and the animals that were wary of people.
However, as I continued my volunteer work, I was deeply moved and comforted by the looks in the eyes of the dogs who remembered me. I realized firsthand that small actions—such as bringing food, cleaning up waste, and preparing sleeping areas—made the animals’ lives more comfortable, and that this, in turn, provided them with protection. Through this experience, I began to think more deeply about the safety and lives of all animals, and I came to fully appreciate the importance of raising social awareness to help animals that have been abandoned or injured.
Creating a group for dog owners to connect and participating in festivals
What began as a small group of friends who owned dogs exchanging information and making pet accessories eventually expanded into a club. Our club activities were diverse, ranging from volunteering at shelters for abandoned dogs to making pet toys, dry food, and treats. Since everything stemmed from our love for pets, I was able to participate with great joy.
In particular, during our school festival, we sold dry treats, promoted pet care guidelines, and ran programs to raise awareness about abandoned dogs, which garnered a lot of attention. Since the group started with such pure intentions, we had tremendous momentum for our activities, and as I led these efforts, I developed a dream of becoming someone who puts compassion for humanity and love for animals into practice. My determination to spread the view that animals are “friends with whom we must live together” continues to this day.

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

Winning First Place in the Talent Show, the Highlight of the Sports Festival
The talent show was the event that drew the most attention at the sports festival. Because the prize money was substantial and the prize included a day-long field trip for the entire class, every class would spend months preparing for it. Our class was already quite close-knit, so we couldn’t pass up the chance to participate; we brainstormed ideas and held meetings to create a performance that everyone could take part in.
The plan we settled on was to rewrite the lyrics of a K-pop song to represent our class and then dance to the recorded music. Whether it was writing the lyrics, practicing the song, or recording it, everyone participated in the process, and no one complained. In fact, everyone participated enthusiastically, and thanks to that energy, the work progressed smoothly.
Based on the recorded music, the students who were good at dancing created the choreography, and everyone practiced the group dance. Synchronizing our movements and choreography was challenging, but even when mistakes happened, we laughed them off together as we prepared. Since the goal wasn’t to “win first place” but to create happy memories together, we were able to practice sharing and cooperation by being considerate of each other’s shortcomings and having the more skilled students teach those who were struggling.
As a result, our talent show received a great response and enthusiastic applause, and we won first place in recognition of the teamwork and joy we demonstrated during the preparation process. Through this experience, I was able to reaffirm that the process of caring for one another and growing together is more valuable than winning a competition.