In this blog post, I’ll focus on my academic experiences and school activities during high school, examples of my consideration and collaboration, as well as my motivation for applying and my career plans.
Academic Experiences and Reflections
I was a student with a deep passion for the subjects I was interested in, and I consistently worked hard based on that passion. In particular, I developed a deep interest in Japanese, and by engaging with various forms of Japanese content—such as manga and movies—I cultivated an understanding of different cultures. During the first semester of my sophomore year, while taking Japanese class, I created my own Japanese study notebook to improve my skills. By organizing Hiragana and Katakana and memorizing unfamiliar words, I improved my reading comprehension and focused on preparing for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test. Additionally, I made a Japanese pen pal online and practiced real-world communication skills by exchanging messages in Japanese. As a result of these efforts, I received the Excellence in Academic Achievement Award for the school’s Japanese course during the first semester of my sophomore year, and I realized that passion for what I love leads to greater achievements.
The first semester of my junior year was a time for me to clarify my career path and goals. While taking courses in Information Society and Computer Science, I was first introduced to “big data,” and I developed a dream of becoming a big data specialist. Once I had this dream, my interest in my studies grew, and I solidified my foundation by previewing and reviewing the material for my computer science classes. To earn a Grade 1, I continued my studies beyond the scope of my school classes by searching for relevant online materials, the latest news, and industry trends at home. I printed out materials related to big data and the Fourth Industrial Revolution, organized them into a scrapbook, and read them whenever I had free time. As a result, I received a Grade 1 in the Information Society and Computer Science course during the first semester of my senior year, allowing me to take my first steps toward becoming a big data expert.
Major School Activities and Reflections
One of the most memorable activities during my high school years was my experience in the choir club. The choir club served as a source of relief from the stress of studying and school life, and preparing for the musical I participated in during my freshman year remains a particularly fond memory. At the time, we planned to perform the musical both on and off campus. Although I wasn’t a music major and was assigned a small role, standing on stage felt unfamiliar and made me nervous. Due to my shyness and lack of singing ability, I made minor mistakes, and keeping up with the choreography was overwhelming. However, as my friends helped each other correct our shortcomings, I was gradually able to master all the movements and songs, and through that process, I built deep friendships with them.
During every break, we practiced the choreography and came together with the single goal of performing on stage together, experiencing genuine, joyful collaboration rather than competition based on grades. Through this experience, I learned how to achieve goals by helping each other with our weaknesses and the importance of teamwork; it remains one of my most enjoyable and happiest memories from my school days.
Another important extracurricular activity was the reading club. I’ve always enjoyed reading, so I frequently visited the library, and from my sophomore to junior year, I worked hard to read a wide variety of books while learning speed-reading techniques in the reading club. During reading club sessions, I mainly read books related to big data, information and communications technology, and future industries, which helped me develop an interest in the field of big data. I was drawn to the nature of big data—where various disciplines converge to produce results—and to the challenge of finding necessary information amid rapidly accumulating data to identify people’s hidden needs. My participation in the reading club provided practical help in exploring my career path and, along with the choir, remains a cherished experience that had a profound impact on me.
Examples of Consideration, Sharing, and Cooperation, and My Reflections
I enjoy keeping things organized and have a habit of maintaining a tidy environment around me.
On my way to or from school, I often couldn’t just walk past trash lying on the street—I’d pick it up and dispose of it. Thanks to this tendency, I naturally got involved in school cleanup and environmental conservation activities, and every spring, I joined my friends in cleaning the streets and classrooms during the annual spring cleaning and neighborhood cleanup events.
At first, while I took the lead in picking up trash, some of my friends seemed reluctant to touch anything dirty. As the area we needed to clean grew larger, I suggested we divide the tasks among ourselves. Although my friends complained at first, I calmly persuaded them that if we worked together, we could finish faster. Fortunately, they accepted my suggestion, and we were able to complete the task by dividing the roles and working together. Seeing the clean environment, we received praise from our homeroom teacher, and I felt a sense of pride in having faithfully fulfilled my responsibilities. This experience taught me the importance of quietly doing my best even in unseen areas, and that the more difficult the task, the more crucial it is to adopt a cooperative attitude by sharing the burden and solving problems together.
Efforts and Preparation Related to Motivation for Application and Career Plans
To prepare for my career, I also participated in academic conferences and seminars. I attended the Yonsei University Big Data Conference held this year, and what impressed me most was seeing students from various departments—not just computer science majors—form teams to present big data projects. Through this, I realized firsthand that big data creates value by integrating multiple disciplines, and I found it rewarding to learn programming and visualize data myself. After enrollment, I plan to start a big data club to collaborate with students from various departments, host seminars, and develop new ideas. Moving forward, I will study big data in depth, building on my expertise and passion for my major, and work diligently to grow into a competitive big data expert who contributes to the university.
