In this blog post, I’ll summarize my academic efforts and extracurricular activities during high school, my experiences with empathy and collaboration, as well as my motivation for applying to the Department of Political Science and International Relations and my career preparation process.

Academic Experiences and Reflections

It’s hard to start fresh every day as a student preparing for college entrance exams, but I learned that the habit of sticking to a plan ultimately gives you strength. Especially when exam periods overlapped or I had a heavy workload, there were days when I could only sleep for one or two hours, and at times like that, I was tempted to give up.
Nevertheless, I tried my best to maintain a regular routine. I set fixed study times for each subject—English in the morning, Korean in the afternoon, and Math and Social Studies in the evening—and when I returned home, I reviewed what I had studied that day, organized my English grammar and vocabulary, and worked through past exam questions.
During my freshman year, I wondered if this habit would be very effective, but by my sophomore year, I began to truly feel the power of consistency. Even when I was tired or sleepy, my body would naturally start moving when it was time to study, and I derived a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment from the very fact that I was sticking to my plan.
When making a plan, I set a generous schedule to ensure it was achievable and left some wiggle room in case of unforeseen changes. Even so, if I broke my plan, I made sure not to put it off; I would cut back on sleep if necessary to finish it. This attitude solidified into a study habit of “never putting off what needs to be done today,” which became a foundation for empowering myself.
Ultimately, I realized that sticking to a plan is more than just time management—it’s a process of cultivating self-control and a sense of responsibility. I am confident that this experience will serve as a valuable foundation not only for my future academic pursuits but also for consistently working toward any goal I set.

Major Campus Activities and Reflections

The volunteer work I began as a promise to my mother felt like a burden at first. Because of my mother’s belief that “a person is not defined solely by grades,” I agreed to participate in volunteer activities once every two weeks and never missed a session, even during exam periods.
Through volunteer work, I encountered scenes and people I had never seen in my daily life. When I visited a shantytown, my heart sank as I saw elderly residents enduring the cold in homes heated by coal briquettes and surrounded by piles of trash. That experience made me realize that the environment I enjoy is not something to be taken for granted, and it deepened my appreciation for the importance of sharing, along with a sense of gratitude.
My involvement with the school newspaper helped me develop a different perspective on the world. By conducting my own reporting and interviews, I gained insight into the lives and concerns of those around me. In particular, through interviews with teachers, I came to reflect on how fragmented my perspective had been when I viewed situations solely from a student’s point of view.
During the reporting process, I learned to empathize with others’ hardships and to adopt a mindset focused on “togetherness” rather than just myself. These activities helped me realize how the effort to understand people—beyond simply conveying information—is connected to a sense of social responsibility.

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

During my sophomore year, as class president, I mediated a conflict between students and teachers. Our class had many outspoken students, which created a lively atmosphere, but this sometimes felt burdensome to some teachers. In particular, a misunderstanding with our homeroom teacher intensified following an incident at the sports festival.
I stepped in as a mediator, first persuading my classmates, and then deciding that the students needed to explain the situation and express their apologies directly. Together with my classmates, we wrote a letter honestly conveying our perspective. After reading the letter, the homeroom teacher explained why she had been particularly strict with our class, which served as an opportunity for us to understand each other’s feelings.
As a result, the misunderstandings that had built up between the class and the teacher were resolved, and the atmosphere became much more harmonious. This experience taught me firsthand how crucial genuine communication and direct dialogue are in resolving conflicts, and it instilled in me a belief that cooperation and consideration can bring about real change within a community.

Efforts and Preparation Related to Motivation for Application and Career Plans

My interest in the Department of Political Science and International Relations began with narrow preconceptions, but through campus activities and personal study, I came to realize the breadth of the field. While interviewing people for the school newspaper and participating in volunteer work, I gained the insight that “politics and diplomacy are ultimately about understanding people.”
From that point on, I set the goal of learning how to view and solve problems from a people-centered perspective in the Department of Political Science and International Relations. I aim to deeply study how to understand conflicts arising in international relations and promote harmony, as well as the principles of appointing and managing people.
In college, I will maintain the systematic and diligent study habits I developed in high school and steadily build up my major-specific knowledge. I will also continue my volunteer work to foster personal growth and broaden my general knowledge of politics and diplomacy through writing and reading.
Ultimately, I aim to become a political and diplomatic expert who possesses both knowledge and character, and to practice politics and diplomacy that put people first. I will grow into a student who is well-rounded in both intellect and character, and I will steadfastly walk the path of contributing to society.