In this blog post, I’ll outline my motivation for applying to the Child Development program—based on the study habits, school activities, and experiences with empathy and collaboration I developed during high school—as well as my future career plans.

Academic Experiences and Reflections

Since I played volleyball for a long time when I was younger, I initially lacked the habit of sitting down and studying consistently. I wasn’t familiar with effective study methods, and I felt frustrated because I didn’t know how to study on my own. Then, I formed a study group with like-minded friends, and that became a turning point in my academic journey.
Our study group consisted of students who couldn’t afford private tutoring; we operated by checking each other’s progress and sharing our study schedules. Since everyone excelled in different subjects, we couldn’t fully teach one another, but a friend who loved math organized math formulas for us, and those strong in language arts worked through difficult poems or passages together and explained them to us. In this way, we gradually shared each other’s strengths.
I viewed this study group as an opportunity to study and gave it my all. I established a routine of studying regularly—one hour every morning and about three hours before bed. Although it was difficult and uncomfortable at first, it naturally became a habit through repetition. The fact that I consistently sat down and gave it a try was the biggest change of all.
Furthermore, through the study group, I began to reflect on my strengths and ultimately discovered that my ability to quickly understand and master English grammar was one of them. As I focused on improving my English skills, I had opportunities to explain concepts to my friends, and the experience of helping others boosted my confidence. Once this habit became second nature, I found it easier to study other subjects as well.

Major Campus Activities and Reflections

At the beginning of the semester, I joined a volunteer club and was assigned to the children’s welfare center team. While club members were divided into various groups and dispatched to senior citizen, youth, and children’s welfare centers, I was assigned to the children’s welfare center and participated consistently. At first, I began by wondering, “What can I do for these children?”
At first, I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to do anything that provided immediate help, like teaching classes or serving meals, but I decided to find what I could do and took on the cleaning tasks that others tended to avoid. Once a week, I performed repetitive household chores such as washing the center’s bedding, cleaning under wardrobes, straightening wallpaper, and washing toys in the playroom. Through these tasks, I naturally came to understand how the center operated and what services were needed.
In addition to basic living support, the children’s welfare center was gradually expanding its scope of activities to offer a variety of experiential programs. I saw the children grow through these experiences—whether it was taking children who had no opportunity to attend performances to see shows, supporting the well-being of their mothers, or engaging in activities like theater and art that fostered their senses and self-expression. It was then that I first clearly realized that “children grow through these experiences.”
As I participated in the center’s activities, my desire to learn more grew stronger. I learned to cook so I could prepare meals for the children myself, and although I wasn’t very good at art, I watched others and picked up the skills so I could lead art sessions with the children more smoothly. I also learned how to explain things to the children in a friendly and easy-to-understand manner. All of these experiences led to my interest in the Department of Child Studies.

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

I cannot leave out the class sports day as an experience where I truly felt the value of cooperation. Our class didn’t have many standout “athletes” in running or strength-based events, but there was an atmosphere of mutual consideration. Our homeroom teacher often said, “Let’s all go together,” and following her example, we naturally developed an attitude of compromise and teamwork.
While preparing for the sports day, we focused on cheering and teamwork with the goal of “having fun.” We each faithfully carried out our assigned roles; I was in charge of reserving the field and balls early in the morning to ensure everything ran smoothly on the day of the event. The students who were good at sports worked hard to manage their physical condition, while those preparing cheering props practiced their cheers diligently right up until the last day.
As a result, we unexpectedly took first place. That’s when I realized that cooperation and consideration can be a greater source of strength than individual ability. Our attitude of compromise and looking out for one another went beyond mere virtue to actually produce positive results, and that experience became a valuable standard for my subsequent team activities.

Efforts and Preparation Related to Motivation for Application and Career Plans

From a young age, I was in an environment marked by intense competition and emotional pain. The pressure and comparisons I faced while playing sports, combined with the emotional scars that accumulated as my family situation became difficult following my parents’ divorce during middle school, took a toll on me. Whenever I struggled, the teachers, upperclassmen, and friends around me were there to support me, and the comfort and support they provided became a great source of strength. That experience led me to resolve that I, too, wanted to become someone who could comfort others in their time of need.
Through volunteer work at a child welfare center, my desire to study child development professionally became firmly established. I believe the Child Development major provides a solid foundation in child development and welfare practice, and I am confident that this path will lead me to my desired career of “healing people’s emotional wounds.”
Once I enter college, I aim to become a professional in the field of social welfare by acquiring a well-rounded balance of theoretical knowledge and practical skills. I will participate diligently in classes to build a solid foundation in child studies, and I will broaden my knowledge by attending lectures on psychology and counseling, as well as various courses offered by Mokpo National University. Additionally, I will actively take advantage of volunteer and internship opportunities both on and off campus to gain extensive hands-on experience.
To become a professional equipped with both theoretical knowledge and practical skills, I plan to continue gaining diverse hands-on experience. Through a wider range of volunteer work and practical experiences than I had in high school, I will develop the practical skills needed to communicate with children in real-life situations and provide them with emotional support. Ultimately, I aspire to grow into a professional who supports children’s emotional well-being and development, and to be a source of comfort and hope for others.