In this blog post, I’ll summarize the academic efforts I made during high school, my extracurricular activities, examples of my consideration and cooperation, as well as my motivation for applying and my career preparation.
Writing About My Academic Experiences and Reflections
I’ve always been good at making plans, but I struggled with a “three-day wonder” habit where my plans would quickly fall apart. No matter how meticulously I created a schedule, my resolve would waver after three or four days, and every time that happened, I would blame myself for being weak. I definitely saw this as a shortcoming in my study habits.
However, I realized there was another side to my tendency to repeatedly make new plans. I have a strong competitive spirit and drive to win, so seeing my friends study actually motivated me to work even harder. Whenever I saw someone doing well, I’d change my plan to do better than them; then, when I saw another friend, I’d adjust my plan again to put in even more effort.
I decided not to view this tendency solely as a negative but to turn it into a strength. I picked out one friend who was a strong student and promised myself I would study just ten minutes more than that friend. I made a daily study plan and stuck to it, but I also adhered to the principle of focusing just ten minutes longer during evening self-study sessions and breaks.
Specifically, I consistently maintained small practices, such as staying up to study if my friend didn’t get up, or solving one more set of problems before moving on to the next section. Even without any major changes to my strategy, the cumulative 10 minutes each day added up to a substantial amount of time, which led to an improvement in my grades.
What I realized from this experience was that there is no shortcut to studying, and I learned the power of “just a little more.” I experienced firsthand how small, extra efforts, when consistently accumulated, can create noticeable changes, and even now, I approach my studies by telling myself, “Let’s do just a little more.”
Major School Activities and Reflections
The activity I found most meaningful and consistently participated in during high school was volunteer work. For a while, I was so focused on my own studies that I often felt like a selfish person for not trying to help others. I wanted to change that mindset, and at the suggestion of a senior, I began participating in volunteer work at a local community organization that maintained public facilities.
The volunteer work mainly involved regularly cleaning and maintaining public spaces such as parks and streams. As I helped care for trees planted by the community and kept the parks clean, I experienced the joy of acting for the benefit of others rather than just for my own gain.
Through volunteering, the sense of guilt that had long plagued me—that I “couldn’t help others”—gradually faded away. Consistently doing small things for others brought vitality to my life, allowed me to view myself more positively, and ultimately led to greater self-confidence. The realization that I was a “good person” became a source of strength that helped me overcome difficulties in various situations later on.
In particular, while serving as the treasurer for the volunteer team for a long time, I came to enjoy managing finances. At first, I felt burdened by the responsibility, but through the process of drawing up and executing budgets, as well as verifying and announcing the remaining funds, I discovered the joy of managing finances efficiently. I felt a great sense of fulfillment when I planned new activities with the leftover funds and my friends expressed their gratitude.
My experience as treasurer naturally sparked an interest in economics and resource management, which led me to seriously consider majoring in economics. I enjoyed planning cash flow and taking responsibility for the results, and this became a major factor in my career choice.
Meanwhile, the confidence I gained from my school activities led me to run for vice president. Unfortunately, I lost by a single vote, but that experience taught me—more than the failure itself—the value of the people who stood by me. I learned just how much strength comes from those who support you during difficult times, and thanks to that, I’ve developed an attitude of caring more for those around me and being grateful.
Examples of Consideration, Sharing, and Cooperation, and My Reflections
The achievement I’m most proud of is organizing a study group. When I entered my sophomore year of high school, class assignments were reorganized, resulting in a mixed ability level that made it difficult to manage classes effectively. The class included students who had already finished the material, those who still needed to build a foundation, and those at an intermediate level, making it hard even for the teachers to adjust the pace of the lessons.
To solve this problem, I proposed creating study groups based on academic performance levels so that students could complement each other’s strengths. I structured the groups so that high-performing students would have the opportunity to review the material by explaining it to others, while students who were struggling could solidify their fundamentals and learn effective study methods. Students in the middle range were able to benefit from the strengths of both groups.
Although this idea was modest at first, it proved highly effective once implemented. Students who explained the material were able to assess their own understanding, those who learned gained practical study skills, and an atmosphere of mutual support spread throughout the entire class. This activity has continued voluntarily within the class and is now in its second year.
Through this experience, I learned the power of ideas and the importance of taking action. I gained the confidence that even methods that may seem trivial or impossible at first glance are worth trying if they offer a solution that is needed right now. I also realized that cooperation is a powerful tool that goes beyond simple kindness to drive each other’s academic growth.
Efforts and Preparation Related to My Motivation for Applying and Career Plans
My decision to apply to the Department of Economics at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies was not simply because I wanted to study economics. While many people say that a university specializing in foreign languages is only a place to learn languages, that very fact was actually the decisive reason I chose this school. In an era where the world transcends borders and influences one another, I believe that language skills and diverse experiences are assets of the utmost importance.
Language proficiency serves as a window into understanding other cultures and people, and it is essential for approaching economic issues from a broader perspective. At Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, I expect to simultaneously build my language skills and gain diverse experiences through interactions with accomplished seniors, various programs, and opportunities for international exchange. This environment will be of great help as I grow into an economist capable of addressing global issues.
My specific academic plan is to build a solid foundation in economic theory during my undergraduate studies while simultaneously improving my foreign language skills, with the goal of becoming an economics expert with strong language proficiency. I intend to consistently improve my skills by fostering a competitive spirit through classes, study groups, and university programs, and I plan to actively take advantage of exchange student and overseas internship opportunities to broaden my practical experience.
In the long term, as an economist, I hope to analyze the flow of money and international economic issues to contribute to solving real-world policy and market problems. In particular, my goal is to research the impact of global capital flows on local communities and the resulting imbalances, thereby contributing to the creation of a more livable society.
To this end, I plan to study diligently during my undergraduate years, engage in diverse language training, and actively take advantage of the international experiences offered by HUFS. By combining my foreign language skills with my knowledge of economics, I will develop the ability to solve real-world problems and ultimately grow into an economics expert active on the international stage.
