In this blog post, I’ll summarize my academic efforts and school activities during high school, my experiences with empathy and collaboration, and the process I went through to choose my career path.

Academic Experiences and Reflections

The study method I practiced most diligently during high school was “solving one workbook five times.” At first, I developed the habit of solving problems in a notebook first to save the workbook—a choice driven by my personal circumstances and a sense of guilt toward my family. Given our family’s financial situation, I hesitated to ask my parents to buy me multiple workbooks, and since I needed to use the money I earned from my part-time job to buy a guitar, I felt a slight sense of guilt. Consequently, I felt I couldn’t waste the workbook carelessly, so I naturally chose to reuse the same one multiple times.
Specifically, instead of solving problems directly from the workbook, I would solve them in a notebook first, and I set a rule to solve at least twenty pages a day. At first, I focused on the problems I got wrong and repeated them three times. After going through all the problems once, I would solve them two more times, reviewing them a total of five times. So, I always worked on three workbooks simultaneously: one for new problems and the other two for review, creating a cycle of learning.
Through this repetitive learning, I developed the habit of not forgetting problems I had solved before, and I found myself making fewer mistakes on other problems—not just the specific ones I struggled with. The five repetitions weren’t just about re-solving the problems; they helped me naturally memorize key formulas, vocabulary, and question types, which directly led to improved grades. It was an experience that made me truly understand the importance of review, and I have consistently maintained this method ever since to increase my learning efficiency.

Major School Activities and Reflections

As soon as I entered high school, I began participating in the band club as the lead guitarist. The guitar and music had been my biggest dreams since elementary school, and I didn’t let go of music even in high school. In an environment where many friends chose academics over clubs and left, I believed I could balance both, and I joined the band club through an audition. The greatest joy I felt through band activities was “communication.”
The friends I met in the band club each had their own reasons and circumstances, and their love for music was as diverse as they were. One friend wanted to become a singer but had to make a practical choice due to family circumstances; yet, through club activities, I saw that they never gave up on singing. Observing that friend’s attitude, I came to understand people’s various situations and choices, and I learned to respect others and appreciate the joy of interacting with them.
My experience preparing for a festival while in the band club gave me another valuable insight. At the time, as both the club president and the student council president, I acted as a mediator when my club faced difficulties due to a minor misunderstanding, clarifying the issue and resolving the misunderstanding. Subsequently, proposing and leading regular meetings between the club and the school to establish a channel of communication was deeply rewarding, and the process even garnered media attention.
That incident led me to discover a “thrill” distinct from the emotions I felt through music—one derived from coordinating people and resolving problems. I found it fascinating to connect people, mediate conflicts, and create a forum for public discourse, which sparked my interest in the field of political science and international relations.

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

My most memorable collaborative experience was preparing for the school festival. As the president of the General Club Association, I led the festival, and I still remember the faces and names of the 105 people who helped create it. It was because of those friends that we were able to hold the festival, and because each of them faithfully carried out their assigned roles that the event was a success.
Specifically, there were friends who took on various roles, such as the publicity team, design team, finance team, and on-site setup team. My job was to connect them with the resources and people they needed. If photos or videos were needed for publicity, I connected them with the photography team; if electrical wiring or funding was required, I matched them with the sponsorship coordinator to secure support. These small connections and coordination efforts came together to create a significant outcome.
What I learned through this process was the simple truth that “when people come together, things get done.” It is important to understand each person’s strengths and match them appropriately. I realized that the process of determining who is suited for which role and fostering harmony based on that is, in itself, both work and a source of value. I found this experience to be very meaningful and enjoyable.

Efforts and Preparation Related to Motivation for Application and Career Plans

Through club activities, I met a diverse group of friends and experienced the joy of communication, but at the same time, I also faced my own limitations. Seeing friends who were more talented than me in the field of music, where I had poured my passion, I felt frustrated for the first time, and I even felt guilty when I thought about the time and money I had invested. There was a time when I fell into a deep depression, thinking, “Maybe music isn’t my path.”
What helped me overcome that despair was the resolve to “work even harder because I’m sorry.” With the mindset that if I lacked talent, I would help my talented peers, I actively participated in student council activities and eventually became the Student Body President. As a leader, I found new fulfillment in mediating various conflicts and fostering synergy among students.
My experience as Student Body President was not easy. There were times when I shed tears while striving to resolve interpersonal conflicts, and there were times when I worked hard to mend relationships despite betrayal and misunderstandings. However, the sense of pride I felt when I saw the fruits of those efforts was irreplaceable. Through the process of solving problems and creating new opportunities, I became convinced that what I truly wanted to do was communicate with people and resolve issues.
That conviction led me to the Department of Political Science and International Relations. Thanks to my period of wandering in pursuit of music, I was actually able to find a clearer goal, and as I reaffirmed my dream of becoming a diplomat, I began to seriously prepare for my career path. I am determined to live a more vibrant life by connecting people and solving public issues.