In this blog post, I’d like to reflect on my academic efforts, school activities, experiences with empathy and collaboration, and career preparation during my time in high school.
Academic Experiences and Reflections
I’m usually quiet; I prefer listening to speaking up or making a big fuss in front of others, and my easygoing personality helps me avoid conflicts with people. On the other hand, I feel deeply frustrated when I fail to follow through on my plans, and I have a tendency to strive for perfection in the tasks I’m assigned, so I’m highly focused when immersed in a single task. At first, I viewed this trait solely as a weakness, but I eventually came to realize that I needed to adapt my personality to suit my studies.
After various attempts, I discovered my own study method: “Set one goal each day and make sure to achieve it.” I identified my strengths and weaknesses by analyzing my mock exam results, and based on those findings, I set one goal per day. I divided the month into weekly blocks to create “focus weeks” for each subject. For example, I set Week 1 for English, Week 2 for Math, Week 3 for Korean, and Week 4 for Social Studies. As a general rule, I solved 10 problems each day in each of these subjects—English, Math, Korean, History, and Social Studies—while simultaneously reviewing my incorrect answers.
During each focus week, my goal was to master the theoretical concepts of that subject. For instance, if I dedicated Week 1 to English, I determined that vocabulary memorization was key, so I set a target from a week’s worth of vocabulary exercises and focused on those words for two hours a day. I managed my study schedule by allocating part of my usual study time to basic assignments and immersing myself in the focus subject for the remaining time.
This approach suited my concentration and immersion style well, and as I practiced it consistently, my confidence grew. Ultimately, this led to improved grades, creating a virtuous cycle that allowed me to study with even greater passion. Most importantly, it was the experience of acknowledging my own tendencies and finding my own way to turn them into strengths.
Major Campus Activities and Reflections
At first, I intended to join a book club. At the time, I was fascinated by Saint-Exupéry and Hermann Hesse and wanted to read more of their works, as well as exchange book recommendations with friends who shared my love of reading. However, I was so impressed by the decisive and courageous way upperclassmen in the debate club expressed their opinions—whom I met by chance—that I ended up joining the debate club instead.
Through my involvement in the debate club, I learned about “differences in perspective” that I hadn’t realized while reading alone. While reading on one’s own fosters deep reflection, those thoughts can easily become confined to one’s own perspective. Through debate, as I encountered others’ completely different interpretations and viewpoints, I realized that my own interpretation was by no means absolute, and I learned that I needed to embrace a broader perspective.
In particular, during my first discussion on literature, I was able to hear firsthand why people find literature difficult and boring. As someone who enjoys literature, I hadn’t fully understood that context, but through the discussion, I learned the root causes of people’s sense of distance from it. Rather than simply criticizing, I began to reflect on what efforts are needed to change people’s perceptions. This experience helped me become more flexible in my approach to literature.
Although I originally preferred English and American literature, as I participated in discussions, I became interested in works that were closely tied to social issues and gradually found myself drawn to Korean literature. Reading sophisticated novels from the 1920s, works reflecting the political realities of the 1970s, and spirited novels from the 2000s, I came to realize that Korean literature deeply embodies the context of its time and addresses social issues. During my sophomore year, I would sometimes select passages related to Korean literature from the weekly discussion topics and lead discussions with underclassmen. Through these activities, I revised my original career plans and began to dream of majoring in Korean literature.
Examples of Compassion, Sharing, and Cooperation, and My Reflections
Our school has a mentor-mentee program where sophomores assist freshmen. I received a great deal of help from a senior mentor who encouraged me to join the debate club, so as soon as I entered my sophomore year, I voluntarily signed up for the mentoring program. My role as a mentor went beyond simply guiding them through school life; it also involved sharing the trials and errors I had experienced in my studies and daily life, as well as listening to their concerns.
Every month, I met with several students to talk and listen to their worries. One student had lost confidence due to worries about their appearance, which even caused their grades to drop, while another was struggling with the stress of academic pressure. I shared insights I’d gained from books and examples of how characters changed, letting them know they weren’t alone. Specifically, I used the circumstances and conflicts of literary characters as examples to help them view their situations objectively and look around them to put themselves in perspective.
Through this process, I realized that helping others leads directly to self-reflection. Listening to others’ stories prompted me to reflect on my own attitudes and concerns, and I saw firsthand how literature and reading can serve as tools that offer comfort and a sense of perspective to others. My mentoring experience was not merely volunteer work but a process of mutual learning, through which I gained a deeper understanding of the importance of empathy and communication.
Efforts and Preparation Related to Motivation for Application and Career Plans
Through my experience in a debate club, where I was exposed to diverse perspectives and came to understand the connection between social issues and literature, I decided to pursue a career in Korean literature. While I appreciated the fantastical appeal of English and American literature, my interest deepened the more I read about how Korean literature captures historical contexts and social realities. My experience reading a wide range of works from different eras—such as the 1920s, 1970s, and 2000s—motivated me to major in Korean literature.
While preparing for college, I consistently practiced interpreting texts through discussion and sharing my thoughts with others, going beyond simply reading. During my sophomore year, I selected passages from Korean literature texts as discussion topics and led discussions with underclassmen, thereby developing my skills in text selection, identifying key issues, and facilitating discussions. Additionally, through my mentoring activities, I practiced explaining literary examples by connecting them to everyday life, which helped me strengthen the critical thinking and communication skills essential for my future studies in Korean literature.
Moving forward, I plan to continue developing my expertise in the field by broadly reading Korean literature from various historical periods and studying its social contexts. Building on the experience gained from on-campus debates and mentoring activities, I aim to further develop my ability to interpret texts from a social perspective. Through my major in Korean literature, I aspire to become a person equipped with the writing and critical skills necessary to understand and empathize with society.
