In this blog post, I’ll focus on my high school math self-study plan and its implementation, my activities and collaborative experiences in the Earth Environment Club, and the process of overcoming the crisis that threatened the club’s dissolution.
Academic Efforts and Learning Experiences
The subject I struggled with the most during high school was math. Since many aspects of math are difficult to study on one’s own, many of my friends attended private tutoring centers, and I, too, debated whether I should attend one during school breaks or on weekdays. Given the ongoing controversy surrounding advanced learning, I decided to create a reasonable plan on my own rather than blindly opting for private tutoring. I took advantage of the relatively long vacation period to study intensively; instead of attending a cram school, I created my own schedule and utilized EBS lectures. EBS effectively organizes its textbooks and lectures by grade and level, making it efficient to study according to the TV schedule even during vacation. I previewed other textbooks in advance and used the EBS materials to prepare for the next semester’s math curriculum ahead of time. I typically watched three lectures a day and, after each lecture, practiced applying what I’d learned by solving problems from that unit. The challenge was that I had few places to ask questions, so I compiled a list of problems I didn’t understand, posted them on the EBS bulletin board, and asked the instructor in charge—who provided helpful answers. Being able to ask questions via email when needed was a huge help, and I learned how to set my own plan and stick to it consistently.
School Activities: My Experience in the Earth Environment Club
Through my activities in the Earth Environment Club, I came to personally recognize the severity of environmental issues. The pollution in the nearby stream I passed while commuting between home and school was severe, with wastewater and household trash left unattended. The response from the district or city government was limited to temporary measures taken only when complaints were filed, and no fundamental solutions were implemented. Witnessing this situation sparked my interest in environmental issues as a student, so I joined the club and took the initiative to propose and participate in stream cleanup activities. Through these club activities, my vague understanding of the importance of the environment expanded into concrete knowledge. Through lectures and water quality surveys, I learned about the natural and human-induced causes of climate change and the impacts of greenhouse gas emissions, which led me to move beyond mere awareness and focus on specific actions I could take in my daily life. During the school festival, I ran a booth that emphasized actionable solutions rather than abstract slogans, and I elicited responses from students with messages such as “Let’s reduce single-use cups” and “Let’s use eco-friendly sprays.” At the booth, we sold eco-friendly sprays made with natural ingredients and eco-friendly tumblers, and the proceeds were used for campaigns and activities aimed at cleaning up the river near our school.
Examples of Consideration, Sharing, Cooperation, and Conflict Management
In addition to club activities, I placed great importance on environmental improvements that could be implemented within the school itself. I decided to first identify the problems and then take action. On campus, there was a lack of awareness about energy conservation, leading to frequent waste of electricity and water, and disposable paper cups were also often wasted. We began with small steps, such as turning off faucets left running during lunch breaks and placing stickers on water dispensers encouraging students to use personal cups instead of disposable paper cups. After seeing the stickers, my classmates began making changes—some got their own cups, while others exchanged tumblers as gifts—and I felt a deep sense of fulfillment witnessing these changes. We also organized a flea market to conserve resources, where students could exchange or sell unused items at low prices. The flea market featured a variety of items—including clothes, shoes, accessories, and cosmetics—and as the organizer, I felt a great sense of fulfillment watching students share what they needed with one another to conserve resources.
The Biggest Challenge and the Growth It Brought
The biggest challenge came when the Earth Environment Club, which I was very fond of, was on the verge of being disbanded. Compared to the third-year students who were about to graduate, there were few first- and second-year students joining, and the club’s survival was threatened by a lack of members. I was deeply saddened to see that our club room and the records we had collected were at risk of disappearing. To save the club, I took the lead in promotional activities. Together with fellow members, we created posters with genuine passion and compiled a portfolio showcasing the importance of environmental issues, career information in the environmental field, and photos of our past activities and experiences to share with underclassmen. I also included an explanation of the Environmental Engineering major—which I personally aspired to pursue—to spark their interest. Our outreach efforts were successful, and the club’s membership more than doubled, allowing it to continue. Through this experience, I gained confidence and a sense of responsibility, realizing that I can bring about change by actively seeking and implementing solutions rather than avoiding problems.
