In this blog post, I’ll naturally explore my career plans focused on the environment, drawing on my academic efforts, school activities, and experiences with consideration and cooperation during high school.
High School Experience
Academic Efforts
The hardest part of studying was when I felt rushed. There was so much to cover, exams were approaching, and whenever I procrastinated and was faced with a mountain of material I’d put off, my hands would shake. Or, no matter how hard I studied, it always felt like it wasn’t enough, so I was often disappointed in myself. I used to regret the time I’d wasted in middle school, thinking I should have studied more instead of playing. But at some point, I decided to stop regretting the past. I realized that no matter how much I’d studied up to that point, what mattered was how I spent this very moment—and that’s what I needed to focus on. So, starting in my second year of high school, I told myself, “Instead of wasting time on regrets, let’s study—and let’s take it one step at a time, calmly and steadily.” The reason I thought this way was thanks to the childhood diary of the literary giant Tolstoy, which I happened to read. In that diary, Tolstoy wrote that he, too, had felt frustrated because he couldn’t carry out everything he planned each day, and—always feeling rushed and overwhelmed—he resolved to do just one thing a day. Reading that diary, I resolved to do the same. So, after making a plan, I tackled it one task at a time. Whenever I studied a subject or worked on a problem, I focused intently. I started calmly, one step at a time, and stayed focused—when studying math, I didn’t worry about other subjects, and when studying Korean, I didn’t worry about other subjects either. I didn’t envy my friends’ progress; instead, I simply followed the steps I needed to take at that moment. Studying this way immediately put my mind at ease. This was because I no longer had to study as if I were constantly being chased. And as I focused on solving each problem one by one, I was able to absorb much more. Through this experience, I learned that maintaining composure is the most important thing no matter what I’m studying, and that I should tackle my studies one step at a time. I realized that my biggest competitor is none other than myself.
Participating in the Walking Club
Since I’d been on the chubby side since I was little, I’d always considered that to be a complex of mine. However, once I entered high school, I had even less time to exercise, so I joined the “Walking Club” to force myself to make time for it. As the name suggests, this club involved walking around the school grounds, taking photos, and appreciating the surrounding scenery. There were only two rules we had to follow during our walks: act freely but return to the starting point by the end time, and remain silent. By following these two rules, I was able to enjoy a great deal of freedom within the club. For the first time in my life, I realized just how beautiful various parts of Seoul are. I also came to realize how enjoyable it is to reflect while taking a walk. Through this club, I was able to fully enjoy three hours every weekend—time I could never have found on my own. Another thing I realized while participating in the walking club was that preserving a city requires a tremendous amount of effort. I began to notice things I hadn’t seen before while attending school—namely, the city maintenance workers, both men and women, going about their duties. I hadn’t really noticed them when I was just walking around or rushing about on the bus. But as I walked and observed my surroundings, I realized just how many people are working hard to make our city beautiful: those who prune and trim trees, those who wrap trees in protective covers to shield them from the cold, and those who pick up trash and sweep the streets every day for the sake of the environment. Seeing them made me realize that the environment isn’t something that just takes care of itself. That’s when I decided to join in on environmental beautification efforts that students could participate in. Being in a place with a clean environment makes me feel good. And that alone is healing. I wanted others to experience that feeling too. So I started picking up trash while taking walks. Carrying a bag and a pair of tongs, I picked up trash wherever I went. This activity eventually became something my friends joined in on as well, and it became a hallmark of our club.
Donations Through Recycling
The most enjoyable activity I was in charge of at school was using recycled materials for donations. I planned this activity because, when I was class president, we had a class field trip. I loved my friends, and we got along much better than students in other classes, so I thought that since we were going on a field trip anyway, I wanted to do something even more special. So, after doing some research, I came up with the idea of having everyone bring clothes or items from home to donate. I thought, “Why not turn the field trip into an opportunity to collect these items from home and deliver them to places in need?” And that activity was a great success. We selected items in good condition and delivered them to orphanages and nursing homes. I still can’t forget the sense of fulfillment I felt back then.
Examples of Practicing Consideration and Cooperation
The thing I worked hardest on for my class and my classmates was keeping our surroundings tidy. In my first year, I served as vice-class president, and my campaign slogan at the time was “Let’s make our classroom clean.” Since I’m the type of person who always keeps my promises, I wanted to honor the commitment I’d made to myself, so I always cleaned up my surroundings to fulfill that promise. Before I knew it, it had become a habit. As a result, even in my second year, I rarely noticed trash lying around. So, during every break, I’d go around looking for messy spots to sweep and wipe down. Whether my friends were watching or not, I simply felt that it was my responsibility to do so. So, watering the plants that were always by the window was also my job. I took care of the flowers by watering them so they wouldn’t wither and placing them where they’d get plenty of sunlight, and the flowers in our classroom were always fresh and vibrant. I also found great joy in cleaning the little details—wiping the dust off the blackboard, mopping under the teacher’s desk, and polishing the teacher’s podium. Since it was a common area, it wasn’t always kept very clean, and that always made me feel sorry. In fact, other students might have thought I was going out of my way for no reason. However, I swept and wiped everything down, thinking it would be nice if the people using that space could enjoy it just a little bit more because of my efforts. Through this experience, I realized that even if no one notices, doing something for someone else is a joy in and of itself. Watching the space become calmly organized through my own efforts brought me a sense of inner peace, and even though I was working alone, I felt a deep sense of satisfaction. Furthermore, seeing my friends feel at ease and my teachers enjoy their classes because of my efforts filled me with pride. I was happy when people recognized my efforts, but even when they didn’t, I took pride in my own sense of fulfillment and voluntarily devoted myself to cleaning and organizing the classroom.
Academic Studies and Career Path After Entering College
They say there has never been a time when environmental changes were as critical as they are today. The Earth has been slowly evolving over thousands of years, yet humans are destroying it and wreaking havoc on it. I have come to realize this, and I feel a great sense of responsibility. If some people work for the sake of others and others work for the sake of the world, I wanted to become someone who works for the sake of nature—someone who, bearing this sense of responsibility, works to preserve the environment and protect life. That is why I decided to apply to the Department of Environmental and Life Sciences. My academic plans after entering college are divided into research and experimentation. Once I enter college, I want to read extensively to become a person with a diverse way of thinking.
Just because I’m a science major doesn’t mean I’ll only know how to conduct experiments or memorize formulas; I want to firmly build my own ideas and critical thinking skills through inquiry. So, I will read extensively and think deeply, and by joining relevant clubs or taking courses, I will become a student who actively cultivates my own general knowledge. Another key focus is experimentation. Based on what I learn, I want to study how to solve environmental problems in the most effective ways possible. Based on this study, I aim to become someone with practical experimental skills who develops my ideas through various extracurricular activities. I will engage in hands-on learning through various competitions and interactions with others. My future goal is to become an “environmental expert.” I believe that only by studying the environment, biology, and chemistry in a well-rounded manner can I become this kind of expert. Therefore, I want to be someone who protects and cares for the environment, which is deteriorating day by day. While others may work in the spotlight, I want to work behind the scenes, correcting wrongs one by one. I aspire to be someone who strives to clean up polluted rivers, improve air quality, and restore the health of trees and mountains. Ultimately, I dream of becoming an expert who can launch campaigns that resonate not only in Korea but globally, and help create laws to protect the environment.
