In this blog post, I’ll summarize my personal growth journey—from my study habits and school activities during high school to my experiences with empathy and collaboration, and my plans for my college career.

Academic Experiences and Reflections

I believed that listening was the starting point for learning English. While many of my friends started learning English by memorizing vocabulary or solving reading comprehension problems, I believed that the most effective way to learn a language is to pick it up naturally through daily life. However, since I didn’t have enough opportunities to hear English frequently at school or at home, I needed to supplement my learning in other ways.
I recorded natural audio materials—such as everyday conversations, dialogue from TV dramas and movies, and real news broadcasts from the U.S. and the U.K.—and listened to them repeatedly. I chose materials that contained actual spoken and written expressions—not just listening files created solely for practice—and listened to them consistently. When listening to these materials, I didn’t just repeat them mindlessly; I alternated between passive listening and focused listening.
First, during passive listening, I approached it with the mindset of a child learning their native language: rather than striving to grasp every meaning, I listened casually to get my ears accustomed to the sounds. When you don’t strain to catch every single word, you gradually become familiar with frequently heard expressions and sentence structures, and they start to sound natural. Next, I did focused listening while looking at the transcript.
During focused listening, I practiced identifying words and sentence structures directly and connecting sounds with meanings. Through this process, I was able to maintain a much higher level of concentration than during passive listening, and my listening skills improved noticeably. This learning method has the advantage of allowing you to master both colloquial and formal expressions at the same time.
By becoming familiar with everyday expressions and idioms through passive listening, and by structurally understanding formal expressions through focused listening, I often saw these results reflected in my college entrance exam listening and reading comprehension questions. After becoming accustomed to listening, I progressed to the stage of reading the script and expressing the content in my own words. The scripts I practiced repeatedly—including reading them aloud—were rarely forgotten and translated into actual speaking and writing skills.

Writing About Major School Activities and Reflections

The school activity I found most meaningful during high school was the senior-junior tutoring program. As an international high school, our school offered a variety of academic programs, and the tutoring program was a system where high-achieving students helped their juniors. I had been making various efforts in my studies since my freshman year of high school, and I applied because I wanted to share my experiences by helping my juniors.
To qualify as a tutor, students had to have top-tier scores on recent mock exams in English and math, and I had consistently maintained good grades in English. Believing that I needed to further develop my own abilities to truly help my juniors as a tutor, I focused more intensively on studying math. This time, I approached the program not simply to improve my own grades, but with the desire to be a senior who could truly help others.
When studying math, I took notes and organized my material systematically so that I could later explain the concepts to my junior. While I usually took notes in a way that only I could understand, I realized that, given my role as a tutor, I needed to organize them neatly so that others could understand them as well. So, I reorganized my notes and materials and refined them into a format suitable for explanation.
The junior student I was matched with struggled with reading comprehension and grammar, so I focused my guidance primarily on reading comprehension, making use of self-study time. I had them practice breaking down passages into phrases and reading them one by one, and I helped them identify grammatical elements by having them repeat each passage multiple times. I felt a great sense of fulfillment when I heard that the junior’s quiz scores had improved and their overall English proficiency had increased.
While serving as an academic tutor, I sometimes also acted as a mentor for school life. We discussed aspects beyond academics, such as how to create a study plan without getting overly stressed and how to overcome slumps. When my junior confided in me about difficulties with friendships or the pressures of exam preparation, I strove to help sincerely, going beyond mere formal advice, and through this process, I was able to further develop my sense of responsibility and compassion.

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

Under the goal of nurturing international leaders, our school operated many programs that allowed students to experience tradition and culture, and etiquette education was an important activity in which the entire student body participated. Through etiquette education, I had the opportunity to experience traditional etiquette firsthand and learn an altruistic attitude.
During a temple stay, I spent time calming my mind by following the monks’ daily routine, which included monastic meals and meditation. As someone who usually leads a busy life, this experience allowed me to clear my mind. I also gained a real sense of the importance of cooperation by sharing household chores with my friends—such as sweeping the temple courtyard, preparing meals, and washing dishes.
After working together on tasks like cleaning and washing dishes—things I rarely do at home—I realized that even simple household chores can be meaningful acts within a community. I came to see that the entire process—preparing food with care, eating calmly, and cleaning up afterward—is a way of caring for both myself and others.
Another activity involved experiencing the school life of Confucian scholars during the Joseon Dynasty. As I learned the proper attitude toward teachers and the etiquette of studying, I was led to reflect on my own usual behavior. Hearing how Confucian scholars studied from dawn until night, repeatedly reading the same texts and engaging in deep reflection, I resolved to approach my current life as a college applicant with greater seriousness and reverence.
These experiences helped me view studying not merely as a chore, but as an activity for self-cultivation. Through the small sense of responsibility that arises from considering others and working together, I learned how to maintain relationships with people, and I feel this will remain an important attitude in my life moving forward.

Efforts and Preparations Related to Motivation for Application and Career Plans

Growing up in various regions under the guidance of my parents, who were diplomats, I had many opportunities to experience diverse cultures. While some might have disliked the constant changes in environment, I enjoyed the process of learning about new cultures and making new friends, which naturally led me to set a goal of becoming a person active on the international stage. As a result, I decided to pursue a career in international trade.
Once I had decided on my career path, the first thing I focused on was improving my English skills. Although I had a basic grasp of conversational English, I believed that flawless English proficiency was essential in the field of international trade, so I developed a well-rounded proficiency across all four skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Even after entering college, I plan to continue honing my practical conversational skills by making friends of various nationalities, rather than relying solely on textbooks.
Second is expertise in my major. I believe I must build a solid foundation of knowledge in my major fields—such as trade, commerce, and logistics—so that I can confidently apply it anywhere. To this end, during my undergraduate studies, I plan to deepen my specialized knowledge by reading not only core textbooks but also a wide range of related academic papers and reference materials. In the long term, I aim to cultivate my expertise by gaining experience in both research and practical work within these fields.
Finally, character is a crucial element. I believe that to work as a trade expert on the international stage, not only professional knowledge but also good manners and an unbiased attitude are essential. An attitude that respects others and fosters empathy is a great asset in negotiations and discussions; therefore, I will strive to become a person who is always humble and considerate.
To ensure I am well-rounded in these three areas—English proficiency, major-specific skills, and character—I will prepare diligently by building on the study methods and lessons learned from my high school extracurricular activities. In college, I will grow into a competent professional in the field of international trade through more systematic and in-depth study.