In this blog post, I will outline my plans for college based on my academic efforts, school activities, and examples of consideration and cooperation during my time in high school.

Academic Experiences and Reflections

The winter break of my freshman year of high school was the most challenging time for me. Even though I had resolved to study harder than ever before, determined to live up to the expectations of being a high school student, my grades simply wouldn’t improve. I began to doubt myself, wondering, “Is my effort in vain? Is studying just a matter of talent?” It was then that I decided to try one last thing: copying answer keys.
Since my ability to apply new problems wasn’t improving easily, I set a goal to never get a question type wrong once I’d solved it at least once. So, after solving a problem, I would copy the answer key verbatim to memorize it. At first, because I wasn’t used to taking notes, I got blisters on my hands and my arms ached, but I persevered, believing that the process of copying each problem would definitely pay off in the long run.
Every day, I solved problems, organized the confusing parts separately, and repeated the process of copying the answer key and memorizing it. This method slowly began to pay off. I stopped making mistakes on problems of a format I had already encountered, and I was able to naturally solve new problems with similar formats. Once I had truly internalized one problem, new problems came to me effortlessly. Even now, I strive to solidify the parts I’ve solved through copying the answer key and memorization.

Writing about major school activities and reflections

I’m naturally meticulous, but I’m not the type to take the initiative, so I rarely took on roles like treasurer. Even though I thought I could handle it, I was too shy to step forward. Then, a friend who was class president asked me for help, and before I knew it, I ended up taking on the role of class treasurer.
My job was, quite literally, managing the money. Our class was very close-knit, so we frequently held group activities such as class dinners and visits to galleries and museums, which made transparent financial management all the more important. At first, I kept records in a notebook, but later switched to a household budget app to create a class ledger. I organized our expenses into statistics and shared them with my classmates. I managed the funds meticulously, driven by a desire to ensure that the money my friends had contributed—which was precious to them—was not lost and that everyone could clearly see how much had been spent.
As a result, there were no disputes over money in our class, and my classmates expressed their gratitude to me. I felt a great sense of fulfillment knowing that my sincere dedication to the task had truly resonated with the students, and from that point on, I gained the confidence to take the lead in various roles. My attitude shifted from a passive “Can I really do this?” to an active “I’ll do it.”
Starting as the class treasurer in my first year, I served as vice-class president in the second semester and class president in the first semester of my second year. Following recommendations from my peers, I also took on the role of vice-president. As vice-president, I played a larger-scale administrative role, assisting the president in coordinating tasks and managing the budget. Through this experience, I was able to observe and learn directly from the roles and leadership styles of various leaders.
As vice president, I developed a sense of responsibility and coordination skills while navigating various challenges, and through that process, I developed a desire to take on roles on a larger stage. I enjoyed learning how to manage an organization by observing passionate leaders, and I was able to acquire the practical and collaborative skills necessary for the professional world.

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

As Vice President, I was responsible for mediating conflicts, proposing compromises, and conveying my friends’ opinions. The most heartbreaking moments were when I couldn’t satisfy both sides. With limited budgets and time, overlapping requests often created situations where I couldn’t accommodate both. In those cases, I had to prioritize one side over the other, which weighed heavily on my heart.
For example, when there were only a limited number of facilities available for repair and we had to choose just one club to assist, it pained me to see how prioritizing the larger club caused inconvenience for the smaller one. Similarly, since festival funding was allocated first to clubs with strong track records, I noticed how this caused smaller, informal groups to feel marginalized. Every time I had to make such a decision, I felt as if I were committing a sin.
So, even if I couldn’t provide funds or technical support, I rolled up my sleeves and helped alleviate the immediate hardships faced by smaller clubs. I empathized with the disappointment of those who were turned down, explained the situation in detail, and shared information in advance so they could be given priority when similar opportunities arose in the future. I also made efforts to transparently disclose the decision-making process and criteria.
Through that process, I learned that “sincerity speaks volumes.” My friends understood my decisions and encouraged me, and I realized that even when making rational decisions, continuing to make an effort to understand the other person’s perspective can minimize hurt feelings. It was a hands-on lesson that consideration and communication can mitigate conflict and foster cooperation.

Efforts and Preparation Related to Motivation for Application and Career Plans

My long-term goal is to become a consultant who helps rebuild companies. I aspire to become a professional who helps rebuild companies and ultimately contributes to revitalizing the national economy. To this end, I determined that a systematic understanding of economics and trade is essential, which is why I chose to apply to the Department of Economics and Trade at Sejong University.
I believe that understanding the flow of money and the structure of trade is paramount to becoming a consultant. I plan to diligently study economic principles and trade structures in my department to gain a firm grasp of current economic trends. Afterward, I intend to gain overseas experience, observe and learn from diverse business cases firsthand, and develop the managerial capabilities needed to revitalize Korean companies.
In college, I aim to enhance my practical skills through theoretical study, real-world case analysis, internships, and international exchange programs. Using the knowledge and experience I gain, I will strive to become a consultant who contributes to diagnosing and restructuring corporate issues, thereby supporting the sustainable growth of both the national economy and individual companies.