In this blog post, I’ll focus on my study habits, school activities, experiences with consideration and cooperation, and the efforts I made toward my future career path during my high school years.
Writing About My Academic Experiences and Reflections
If someone asked me what studying is, I would answer without hesitation: “It’s a habit.” Some people say that studying requires intelligence, while others claim that doing well depends on external factors like private tutoring. However, in my experience, internal routines played a much bigger role than external conditions, and I believe the core of that is daily habits. I learned firsthand that no matter how good a lecture is, if it doesn’t become a habit, the benefits won’t last long.
So I focused on organizing my day by creating a meticulous plan. I tried to study a little more each day and set small goals on my schedule with the mindset of investing even just 10 more minutes. Through this, I gradually increased my study time while also maintaining a balance by setting aside time for exercise to manage my physical health. Eventually, my life transformed into a regular routine, which became an opportunity to train both my mind and body.
Here’s how I structured my specific daily schedule. I woke up at 5 a.m., did some light exercise until 6 a.m., and then listened to an English lecture from 6 a.m. until 8 a.m., when I had to leave for school. Since this lecture was intended more for reviewing and consolidating material I’d already covered rather than learning new content, I focused on refreshing my memory by listening to it repeatedly. After arriving at school, I tried my best to concentrate on class, and I considered fighting off drowsiness to be a habit in itself. I often found that staying focused during class made my drowsiness disappear, and I used break times to review what I had just learned or memorize vocabulary.
In the evenings, I focused on language, math, and foreign languages, and on my way home, I set aside time to memorize material for my science inquiry class. I repeated this routine every day, striving to stick to my habits even when it was difficult, and as a result, my study time and efficiency gradually increased. Ultimately, these consistent habits became the foundation for achieving the academic results I desired, and through that process, I also learned the importance of self-management and physical fitness.
Write about major school activities and your reflections
During high school, I underwent a major transformation after joining the “Hanuri Social Sciences Debate Club.” Before joining, I was a somewhat naive student who thought that all that mattered was doing well in my studies. Having become complacent with my good grades and lacking interest in social issues, my first debate session came as a shock. When we debated welfare issues, I had hardly anything to say because I didn’t read the newspaper regularly and lacked knowledge of current social issues.
In contrast, I was greatly inspired by seeing a friend whose grades weren’t particularly outstanding clearly articulate their own arguments. From friends who wanted to become politicians, to those dreaming of international volunteer work, to classmates already designing apps and aspiring to be engineers—their clear goals and hard work made me realize just how narrow my worldview had been. From that point on, I came to understand that academics aren’t everything, and that diverse interests and experiences are crucial.
After that, I began using my weekends to read and summarize newspapers, and I started exploring books on the humanities and economics. As I strove to understand society as a whole—including social structures, welfare, and budgetary concepts—I spent more and more time reflecting on both present and future society. Through this process, my thoughts on my career path gradually took shape.
My primary role in the club was to research, introduce, and organize books and materials related to social trends. Although I was responsible for research and organization as vice president, I undertook these tasks voluntarily because I found them deeply interesting. As I analyzed topics such as the next year’s trends, changes in housing and household structures, and promising career fields, my perspective on society as a whole broadened, and I developed an interest in identifying rapidly changing social trends to predict the future.
Examples of Compassion, Sharing, and Cooperation, and My Reflections
While serving as the club’s vice president, a major crisis arose when complaints were raised that our club was receiving preferential treatment regarding festivals, the distribution of supplies, and budget management.
Our club took pride in having many members accepted into prestigious universities and successful career paths, and we generally received attention and support from teachers. However, this external support felt unfair to students in other clubs, and their dissatisfaction eventually led to protests.
To resolve the issue, I worked with the president to investigate various cases and sought advice from upperclassmen. As a result, we determined that the lack of transparency—such as budget allocations and festival supply support being handled through individual requests to the responsible teacher—was the root cause of the conflict. Therefore, I proposed regular club meetings to the student council president and designed a system where the presidents of each club would gather to formally discuss agenda items.
The proposal was accepted, and through these regular meetings, each club began to openly discuss budgets and sensitive issues. As they organized and presented their respective agenda items and engaged in discussions, communication became more active, complaints decreased, and, in fact, the relationships between the clubs grew stronger. Through this experience, I became convinced that “communication” is the power that prevents conflict and drives us toward a better future. Since then, I have made a conscious effort to prioritize communication and never ignore even the smallest opinions.
Efforts and Preparation Related to Motivation for Application and Career Plans
Concerns and anxiety about my career path plagued me throughout my college entrance exam preparation. Although I didn’t face major issues such as financial difficulties or health problems, the question that most frequently crossed my mind was, “Am I doing this right?” Even though I was working hard, I was constantly plagued by doubts about whether I could reach my goals and whether the path I had chosen was the right one.
At such times, I decided not to just sit idly by, lost in anxiety. I realized that when my own answers weren’t yet clear, it helped to look around me and listen to others’ stories. When I reached out to friends who seemed to be struggling and asked what was on their minds, I discovered that, surprisingly, they were dealing with similar worries. It was a great comfort to realize that my struggles weren’t just my own problem, but a process everyone goes through.
Since then, I’ve strived to be someone who offers empathy and comfort to my friends. To friends struggling with career choices or personal difficulties, I would reassure them by saying, “You’re not the only one—I feel the same way,” and walk alongside them. The power of empathy was amazing; as I returned the comfort I had received, I made more friends, and we were able to move forward by encouraging one another. Even now, when I feel exhausted, I try not to forget to look around me, ask for help, or reach out to others.
