In this blog post, we summarize the academic efforts, volunteer experiences both on and off campus, examples of consideration and cooperation, as well as the career goals and academic plans for college of an applicant to the Department of Social Welfare at Kongju National University.
Describing High School Academic Experiences and Reflections
During high school, I gave a lot of thought to how to study English. I wasn’t particularly confident in any one area—reading, grammar, or speaking—and my grades fell short of my expectations, which eroded my self-confidence. To improve my speaking skills, I watched American TV dramas and variety shows to learn everyday expressions, checked unfamiliar words using subtitles, and practiced repeating what I heard. To keep myself engaged, I decided to study English using listening scripts recorded by native speakers. The scripts, recorded by professional voice actors, had clear pronunciation and were pleasant to listen to. I began by listening to the script, transcribing it, and then comparing my notes to the original to identify any differences. I looked up and memorized important words from the parts I got wrong.
Once I had a solid grasp of the vocabulary, I moved on to reading comprehension practice. Rather than simply trying to grasp the content, I read aloud and slowly attempted a literal translation, while simultaneously practicing pronunciation and conversation by striving to match the native speaker’s intonation. As I read aloud repeatedly, I began to recognize the patterns associated with the pronunciation of idioms, and my listening skills improved as well. By repeatedly reading dialogues appropriate to various situations, my conversational skills improved, and I became faster at paraphrasing them into Korean. For grammar, I practiced by filling in the blanks with the appropriate tense and aspect, which intuitively increased the frequency with which I used correct grammar.
Through this process, I realized the effectiveness of a learning method driven by interest and the importance of repetitive practice. I learned that approaching the material in a way I enjoy allows for consistent study, and that practicing listening, speaking, reading, and grammar in an integrated manner enables each area to complement the others, leading to overall skill improvement.
Volunteer Work and Learning
During high school, I consistently participated in RCY (Red Cross Youth) activities. Having grown up in a family environment where weekend volunteering was a regular practice, I joined RCY to gain experience in organized volunteer work. I took part in health education and first aid training at school and voluntarily participated in external activities. For external activities, I provided one-on-one mentoring at an orphanage near my school and participated in an overseas volunteer program in the Philippines to help children in slums.
In particular, as a member of the social media press corps responsible for documenting our activities, I uploaded photos and recorded our experiences in article format. Since dividing roles was crucial during external activities, I took charge of photography and documentation and strove to carry out my responsibilities diligently. While volunteering at the orphanage, I was busy juggling my mentoring role with photography, but seeing the children focus intently on dance and balloon art classes made me want to teach them even more. I conducted classes by patiently teaching what I had learned at school, and I documented the activities through photos and videos, which I posted on the blog.
During our volunteer work in the Philippines, our team also partnered with the RCY volunteer group at Baesa High School to provide meals to children in the slums. Given the severe nutritional imbalance in that environment, we made every effort to provide the children with nutritionally balanced meals, and I filmed the meal service and created a video capturing the children’s joy. We also prepared and taught performances showcasing Korean culture—such as taekwondo, samulnori, and nanta—to foster cultural exchange, and the photos I took were exhibited in a gallery through our headquarters, leaving a meaningful legacy.
Examples of Consideration, Sharing, and Cooperation
Through RCY activities, I learned various skills and experienced the value of cooperation. I mastered not only the latest dance styles, balloon art, Nanta, and Taekwondo but also pastry and baking techniques. I was initially worried because I had little baking experience, but I learned the basics through classes and gained confidence. I participated in the “Bread Sharing of Love” event held in celebration of Armed Forces Day, where I was tasked with making red bean buns and cream puffs.
Since I worked with my team members, we were able to help each other and solve problems together.
I was in charge of kneading the dough and adjusting the seasoning. When the dough became sticky or lacked elasticity, my teammates taught me how to adjust the amounts of water and salt, which allowed us to salvage the dough. Thanks to that, we completed a batch of bread that satisfied everyone, and we packaged the homemade bread and milk to deliver to a military hospital. I felt a great sense of fulfillment distributing the bread to soldiers receiving treatment for their injuries, and I was able to form deep bonds with the other volunteers.
Career Goals and Academic Plans for College
Based on my experience participating in volunteer work with my family since childhood, I developed an interest in the field of social welfare. Influenced by my older brother, who also majored in social welfare, I naturally became interested in the Department of Social Welfare at Kongju National University. Although I decided on a specific career path at the urging of my parents and brother, after making that decision, I actively participated in various volunteer activities on my own to strengthen my conviction about my career choice.
Through volunteer activities both on and off campus, I experienced the genuine joy that comes from helping others and realized the professional significance of working to improve the well-being of others. My goal is to become a social worker who contributes to the international community as an international volunteer. To this end, I plan to study social welfare theory, welfare systems, and policies in depth at the university. In addition to diligently attending my major courses, I intend to continuously participate in various on- and off-campus activities as well as overseas volunteer work. Building on my volunteer experience, I will grow into a professional capable of working on the international stage.
